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Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health

How might nuts help with heart health?

Research has found that frequently eating nuts lowers levels of swelling, called inflammation, related to heart disease and diabetes.

Regularly eating a healthy diet that includes nuts may:

  • Improve artery health.
  • Lessen inflammation related to heart disease.
  • Lower the risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
  • Lower the chances of high blood pressure.
  • Reduce the risk of early death due to heart disease.
  • Lower unhealthy cholesterol levels, specifically blood fats called triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein, also called LDL or "bad" cholesterol.
  • Help manage weight, likely because the fiber, fat and protein in nuts make them filling to eat.