You are what you eat, so be a goober!
Does eating nuts prevent heart attacks?
Nuts helped prevent a German victory during World War II. At the start of the Battle of the Bulge, four German soldiers waving white flags approached the American line and delivered a letter. Upon reading the letter requesting the Americans surrender, General Anthony C. McAuliffe exclaimed in surprise, “Us surrender? Aw, nuts!” The Americans had two hours to answer and the general didn’t know how to respond. US Lt Col Harry Kinnard mentioned that the general’s initial response was hard to beat so they crafted their response which read:
To the German Commander,
N U T S!
The American Commander.
That general seemed like a tough nut! Great story – but it still didn’t answer my question. Does eating nuts prevent heart attacks?
Yes. A summary of 12 studies involving over 300,000 people observed that those who eat 15-20 grams of nuts 5-6 times per week reduced heart attacks and even prevented other things like strokes, cancer, respiratory disease, diabetes, and infections. Even eating nuts twice a week was shown to be protective.
These are observations. Are there other studies that “prove” nuts prevent heart attacks?
You’re a tough nut to crack. Yes. The 5 year PREDIMED study gave three different diets to 7,000 people likely to have a future heart attack. One diet included about 1 ounce of mixed nuts daily (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts). The second diet was “low fat.” The third diet included olive oil. When compared to the low fat diet after 5 years, one heart attack or stroke was prevented in every 77 people that ate mixed nuts daily.
In fact the overall data on nuts and heart health is so good that the FDA allows the phrase: “Eating a diet that includes one ounce of nuts daily can reduce your risk of heart disease.”
Which nuts did they study?
True nuts are walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, pine nuts and pecans. Technically peanuts are legumes and Brazil nuts are a seed. Peanuts also have a cool other name: GOOBERS! However, they all have similar nutrients so all are considered “nuts” in most medical studies.
While we’re on the topic, I’’ll give you some fun facts about nuts!
I hope they don’t drive me nuts!
1). Hazelnuts: Used by the Greeks to treat baldness and coughing.
2). Walnuts: Called Juglans Regia by the Romans which means Jupiters royal acorn.
3). Almonds: About half the beehives in the US are brought to California in February to pollinate the almond groves.
4). Macadamia Nuts: Poisonous to dogs and are the most expensive nut around.
5). Mixed Nuts: The most popular nuts in the US in order are: peanuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, then walnuts.
6). Peanuts: Two peanut farmers have been President – Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
Okay Smarty Pants why was the Charlie Brown comic strip named “Peanuts?”
Charles Schultz, had originally named his strip “Li’L Folks” but when it became syndicated there was already a comic strip named “Little Folks.” One of the publishers at the Syndicate chose the name without having even read the comic strip – much to the chagrin of Mr Schultz. (Source: schultzmuseum.org).
Okay. You think you’re so smart – where does the term “peanut gallery” come from?
“Peanuts” was a popular term for children in the 1940s and 1950s because of the Howdy Doody Show which had an audience section for kids they called the “Peanut Gallery.”
Is one nut better than the other?
Not really. The benefits appear to be the same for peanuts vs. tree nuts.
How do nuts prevent heart attacks?
Nuts contain heart healthy substances like poly and monounsaturated fats, fiber, L-arginine, sterols, folate, anti-oxidants among other things. It’s been shown that people who eat nuts feel fuller and eat less overall which reduces obesity. Nuts have been shown to reduce blood sugar and blood clots. Some studies show that eating almonds and walnuts reduces bad cholesterol (Walnuts and Almonds).
Are there any nuts that are bad for you?
Probably the kind that come with snickers bars. Nuts that are the vehicle for chocolate, toffee, sugar, or salt ought to be avoided.
Are nut butters okay to eat?
Yes – as long as it is not processed or contain added fats, chocolate, or other sweeteners.
Did George Washington Carver invent peanut butter?
Peanut butter was created by a Canadian named Marcellus Gilmore Edson who applied for a patent in 1884 for a method of producing peanut butter from roasted peanuts. He called it peanut paste and it initially sold for 6 cents/pound. Here’s his original patent application:
Whew, if I couldn’t eat peanut or almond butter, I’d think I’d get sent to the nuthouse. But aren’t nuts high in fat and calories?
Remember there are heart protective fats and nuts are full of them. As far as the calories go, a good rule of thumb is to eat about a handful of nuts which contains about 150-200 calories. For nut butters, that’s about 2 tablespoons. Check out the chart below for calories and the number of nuts per one handful (one ounce).
Summarize it for me Doc!
One handful daily of any type of nut(s) or nut butter may prevent a heart attack. Nuts make great snacks. Also, hazelnuts don’t prevent baldness…I may or not be speaking from personal experience.
Thank you, Doctor, for this interesting article! As a nut lover, I was happy to learn how beneficial nuts are for the heart. I especially liked seeing the statistics since I’m an almond & pistachio “nut”! Also enjoy the humor you incorporate in your articles — they are nicely written as they are informative, educational, and make me smile (laugh)! Thank you!
Having met you I would have to say hazelnuts haven’t helped nevertheless, nice article. Thank you.
Always enjoy your articles thank you for sending them out