Walnuts and fish lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Monday April 27, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- Consuming walnuts and fish has been found by a new study to be essential to a heart healthy diet, especially for those trying to prevent coronary heart disease. The study was funded by the California Walnut Commission and found that triglyceride levels can be lowered and cholesterol levels improved when walnuts and fish are included in one’s diet.

HDL cholesterol is known as “good cholesterol.” It stands for high-density lipoprotein and is considered good because it seems to protect against heart attacks, according to the American Heart Association. Conversely, LDL cholesterol is known as “bad cholesterol.” LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein and is known to clog arteries and cause atherosclerosis.

In a randomized crossover feeding trial, researchers looked at the effect that walnuts (specifically plant n-3 fatty acid) and fatty fish (specifically marine n-3 fatty acid) have on different serum lipid markers in the blood. While walnuts were better at lowering total and LDL cholesterol, fish was better at lowering triglycerides and raising HDL cholesterol.

They found that “serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations in adults who followed the walnut diet…were lower than those who followed the control diet…and those who followed the fish diet…” Comparatively, they found that “the fish diet resulted in decreased serum triglyceride and increased HDL cholesterol concentrations compared with the control diet…and the walnut diet. The ratios of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A-I were lower…in those who followed the walnut compared to those who followed the control and fish diets.”

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of coronary heart disease, which is the number one killer in America, according to WebMD. The disease affects 13 million Americans by clogging their arteries, restricting blood flow and making it more difficult for blood to circulate. Reducing the amount of LDL cholesterol is vital to preventing atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Those seeking to learn more about coronary heart disease, cholesterol and triglycerides are urged to visit http://www.americanheart.org, or clicking the following links: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4726, http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=180.

The study included in this article can be found in the May 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It is titled “Walnuts and fatty fish influence different sum lipid fractions in normal to hyperlipidemic individuals: a randomized controlled study.” It was authored by S. Rajaram, E.H. Haddad, A. Mejia and J. Sabaté.

(By Will Levine, and edited by Heather Kelley)