A new U.S. study shows that for healthy individuals, moderate consumption of walnuts and oily fish such as trout, salmon, and herring can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Walnuts
Suyosha Rallabandi, from Loma Linda University in California, who led the research, said: "Moderate consumption of walnuts and oily fish can effectively reduce the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood."
Rallabandi and his research team published an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, stating that compared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines, consuming about 1.5 ounces (approximately 42.5 grams) of walnuts daily can lower total serum cholesterol by 5.4% and low-density lipoprotein (also known as "bad cholesterol") by 9.3%.
Following the guidelines of the American Heart Association, the research team also found that consuming 8 ounces (approximately 226.8 grams) of oily fish per week can lower triglycerides by 11.4%, increase high-density lipoprotein (also known as "good cholesterol") by 4%, but also slightly increase low-density lipoprotein.
The researchers used salmon in their study.
Omega-3 fatty acids can prevent cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and the omega-3 fatty acids consumed by the human body mainly come from various fish. Rallabandi said that in addition, microalgae oil or eggs are also alternatives.