Researchers from Pennsylvania State University have confirmed that almonds are very useful in the fight against cholesterol.
Regular consumption of a handful of almonds per day increases the level of "good cholesterol", thereby improving cardiovascular health by 19 percent.
According to a study published last Friday in the "Journal of Nutrition", almonds not only affect the increase of HDL or good cholesterol, but also improve the process of passing bad cholesterol (LDL) in the liver.
Over a period of six weeks, Pennsylvania researchers followed two groups of patients with high levels of bad cholesterol. The first group consumed 43 grams of almonds per day, which is equivalent to a large handful of these nuts, while members of the second group were given a banana muffin.
At the end, they measured the level and functioning of HDL cholesterol and compared the results with the blood findings at the beginning of the study.
"HDL is very small when released into the circulation. It is like a bag that slowly becomes larger and spherical in shape because it feeds on cholesterol from cells and tissues before being deposited in the liver," explained Dr. Chris Etherton, one of the authors of the study. "On this journey, the HDL particles grow until they mature."
The study highlighted a 19 percent increase in mature HDL particles in the almond group. At the same time, participants with a normal body weight were able to transport excess cholesterol to the liver 6,4 percent better.
Rich in magnesium and potassium, almonds are healthy and filling because of fiber and protein. Ten almonds have about 100 calories.
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