Walnuts cut cardiovascular disease risk

Consumption of whole walnuts or their extracted oil can reduce cardiovascular risk, researchers have claimed. In addition, consumption of whole walnuts helped HDL — good cholesterol — perform more effectively in transporting and removing excess cholesterol from the body. "Our study showed that the oil found in walnuts can maintain blood vessel function after a meal, which is very important given that blood vessel integrity is often compromised in individuals with cardiovascular disease," Claire Berryman, graduate student in nutritional sciences, Penn State said. According to the researchers, walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, gamma-tocopherol and phytosterols, which may explain the positive effects of the walnut oil treatment. 
   

Eat more walnuts