José Antonio R. Piedrabuena -- Nuts as a real source of youth

Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and chestnuts are concentrates of life for our bodies.

The Mediterranean diet recommends a weekly consumption of nuts such as walnuts, pistachios and almonds at least five times, as their high levels of fatty acids, phytosterols, antioxidants such as Resveratrol, and carotinoids, provide us with large doses of vitamins and minerals.

THE NUTS

25 grams of walnuts provide more than 90% of the daily requirement of omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Not forgetting B vitamins, proteins and fibre.

Nuts also include the amino acid L-arginine, which provides multiple vascular benefits, reducing the risk of heart disease. According to a study published in 'The New England Journal of Medicine', 30 grams of nuts a day, half of which should be walnuts, reduces the chance of cardiovascular accidents by 30%.

The combination of tryptophan and vitamin 6 in walnuts promotes a state of relaxation and calmness that helps some people to fall asleep, providing proteins of high biological value.

Daily consumption is associated with lower rates of coronary artery disease and heart attack along with a better plasma lipid profile, cholesterol and triglycerides, without affecting weight and body composition despite being high-energy foods. Eating nuts 5 times a week is estimated to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction by 51%.

EATING NUTS HELPS AGAINST AGEING

They delay ageing thanks to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, nitric oxide precursor, and homocysteine-lowering effects in the blood. High levels of homocysteine in the blood have multiple negative effects such as damaging the lining of the arteries, the endothelium, are an indicator of future heart attacks and may cause the blood to clot more easily (thrombus formation).

Taken together with fruit and vegetables, they act on hormonal mechanisms by reducing the risk of cancer through their antioxidant activity, by regulating cell differentiation (remember that cancer is made up of undifferentiated cells), by reducing the initiation of cell production, by inducing the repair of DNA damage, by regulating immune activity and by regulating the inflammatory response.

Walnuts also act against hypertension by producing general endothelial vasodilatation.

ANTIOXIDANTS IN WALNUTS CONTRIBUTE TO ALZHEIMER'S PREVENTION

According to research carried out by the Department of Neurochemistry of the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities in New York State, the protective effects of walnuts against neuronal death that occurs in people with Alzheimer's disease have been proven.

Scientists from the University of California-Davis in the United States have shown for the first time in animal models that walnuts, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, gamma tocopherols, vitamin E, polyphenols and antioxidants, reduce the size and growth rate of prostate cancer.

When we buy them already split and in the air, they are so clean and shiny because they are flooded with preservatives, antioxidants, waxes and so on, which will disrupt our intestinal flora.

Nuts should be part of a balanced, prostate-healthy diet that also includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.

WE MUST BE SURE THAT IT HAS BEEN ORGANICALLY GROWN.

Taking into account the nutritional profile of walnuts, Dr. Joe VinsonelProfessor at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Scranton in the United States.who has led a study published in Food and FunctionThe European Food Safety Authority advises that: "Nuts should be included more frequently in all diets, as they are a source of fibre, with high quality protein, an excellent source of alpha linoleic acid, and also have a high antioxidant power". Ageing is a consequence of oxidation. The research also reveals that nuts account for around 8% of the antioxidants that an adult should include in their daily diet and this expert insists: "A serving of nuts of around 35 grams has more antioxidants than a daily serving of fruit and vegetables".

Containing antioxidants, walnuts help neutralise free radicals that damage cell membranes, contributing to the fight against ageing and helping to prevent disease. In addition, their polyphenols are a type of antioxidant that acts directly on LDL (bad cholesterol) and combats atherosclerosis by slowing down the build-up of plaque.

NUT CONSUMPTION HELPS AGAINST INFLAMMATION AND DIABETES

Another work carried out between the Human Nutrition at the Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, led by Dr. Salas-Salvadóand the Centre for Biomedical Research Network Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn) in Santiago de Compostela, evaluates the role of nuts in decreasing inflammation and insulin resistance, two causes of why we age. This review reports on the mechanisms by which some bioactive components of nuts as a whole, such as magnesium, fibre, alpha-linoleic acid, the amino acid L-arginine, various antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids, can synergistically protect against inflammation and, consequently, decrease insulin resistance, one of the consequences of ageing and overweight.

THE PISTACHOS

Nutrients include antioxidants and substances with anti-inflammatory properties, as well as micronutrients and dietary fibre. Nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin and riboflavin function as antioxidants and protect against macular degeneration, reduce blood pressure and heart rate in stressful situations. This nut is rich in vitamin E, B1 and B6.

Its regular consumption lowers blood pressure, due to its high content in potassium and magnesiumThe study, published in the journal Journal of the National Cancer InstitutIn their report, the nut could have a protective effect against the development of different types of tumours, such as colon, pancreatic and ovarian cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. The researchers suggest in their report that the consumption of nuts, such as pistachios, should be considered as a tool for reducing the risk of cancer.

Dietary nut intake has been shown to have a minimal effect on body weight, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels, but lowers LDL-cholesterol levels.

Research by Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and Loma Linda University (USA) has shown that it does not cause weight gain (35 grams per day).

THE ALMOND

In addition to the general benefits of nuts, sweet almonds have a particularly high content of fats, especially unsaturated fats, which are the most beneficial for cardiovascular health.

They contain 8 fatty acids, 9 vitamins, 10 minerals, 5 phytosterols and a large amount of high-quality vegetable proteins.

ALMONDS ARE ONE OF THE RICHEST VEGETABLE SOURCES OF CALCIUM.

The fibre content of the almond stands out from the rest of the nuts. As far as vitamins are concerned, almonds have important quantities of vitamins of the B group, including folic acid (B9), as well as being a good source of vitamin E, which has an antioxidant action. The minerals they contain include iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, zinc and calcium.

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