‘Eat almonds for a healthy heart’

HYDERABAD : Cardiovascular diseases account for 28 percent of all deaths in India, more than any other cause. Due to their genetic makeup Southeast Asians especially Indians have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, characterized by elevated levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and lower levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol.

Lack of physical activity, poor dietary habits such as diets rich in sugar, salt and saturated fats are responsible for several conditions such as abdominal obesity and insulin resistance which are now more common among Indians. Coupled with these lifestyle factors and conditions, genetic propensity makes Indians much more prone to heart disease than their Caucasian counterparts. 

A new review by a panel of Indian experts in the field of nutrition and cardio vascular disease (CVD), published in the journal Nutrients, suggests that daily inclusion of almonds as part of a healthy diet – long an Indian dietary tradition – may help reduce dyslipidemia, one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease among Indians. Dyslipidemia is a condition marked by high LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels and low HDL cholesterol levels. The review also showed the inclusion of almonds in daily diet contributed towards reduced abdominal fat.