Almonds help lipid levels

Imagine that... a fatty food being good for blood lipids.

I imagine this is considered a paradox amongst those who believe that
dietary fat equals bad cholesterol.

TC

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

New research shows a diet that consists of healthy foods, including
almonds, may be as effective in lowering cholesterol as certain drugs.
Researchers say incorporating almonds into ones diet might help to
moderately lower cholesterol levels. The easiest substitutions to try
might include a snack of almonds instead of popcorn, pretzels or
potato chips.
Researchers from Toronto studied a group of people with high
cholesterol levels to determine whether following a specific diet can
reduce those levels. The participants were divided into three groups.
The first group followed a low-fat diet that included whole-wheat
cereals and dairy foods. The second group followed the same diet and
also took a 20-milligram cholesterol-lowering pill each day. The third
group followed the Portfolio eating plan, which includes a diet high
in soy, fiber and almonds.
Results of the study show those who followed the Portfolio diet plan
lowered their LDL or bad cholesterol by more than 30 percent.
Researchers say the diet was as effective in managing cholesterol as
taking a starting dose of cholesterol-lowering drugs. Previous studies
have also shown the Portfolio plan has consistently displayed a
drug-like effect in improving cholesterol levels.
Patients on the Portfolio diet ate a handful of almonds each day.
Researchers say the almonds, which are high in vitamin E, may have
been a factor in lowering the participants C-reactive protein levels.
High levels of C-reactive proteins are an indication of inflamed
arteries and a risk factor for heart disease.

"tcomeau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Imagine that... a fatty food being good for blood lipids.

I imagine this is considered a paradox amongst those who believe that
dietary fat equals bad cholesterol.

Not at all!

The main fats in almonds are the good fats - monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated. I have started eating them as a snack and they're good!
Just be sure you get raw or dry roasted almonds withOUT salt added. I also
eat cooked oatmeal for breakfast, not the flavored stuff..

My lipids have improved a lot. Latest results are:

Total cholesterol - 118 (down from 165 before this diet)
LDL - 63
HDL - 44
Trig - 48

Try it.

George

Quoted message said:

New research shows a diet that consists of healthy foods, including
almonds, may be as effective in lowering cholesterol as certain

drugs.

Quoted message said:

Researchers say incorporating almonds into ones diet might help

to

Quoted message said:

moderately lower cholesterol levels. The easiest substitutions

to try

Quoted message said:

might include a snack of almonds instead of popcorn, pretzels

or

Quoted message said:

potato chips.
Researchers from Toronto studied a group of people with high
cholesterol levels to determine whether following a specific

diet can

Quoted message said:

reduce those levels. The participants were divided into three

groups.

Quoted message said:

The first group followed a low-fat diet that included

whole-wheat

Quoted message said:

cereals and dairy foods. The second group followed the same

diet and

Quoted message said:

also took a 20-milligram cholesterol-lowering pill each day.

The third

Quoted message said:

group followed the Portfolio eating plan, which includes a diet

high

Quoted message said:

in soy, fiber and almonds.
Results of the study show those who followed the Portfolio diet

plan

Quoted message said:

lowered their LDL or bad cholesterol by more than 30 percent.

I guess this was a strict vegetarian combination diet developed by the
Toronto researches. Almonds only would not reduce LDL cholesterol by
more than 30 percent. Can you provide a link to this?

Jan

tcomeau said:

Imagine that... a fatty food being good for blood lipids.

I imagine this is considered a paradox amongst those who believe that
dietary fat equals bad cholesterol.

No one has believed that since the 60s.

-Jay

x-no-archive: yes

Quoted message said:

No one has believed that since the 60s.

-Jay

<*splork*>

Please, beverage warnings are in order.

Susan

Susan said:

x-no-archive: yes

Quoted message said:

No one has believed that since the 60s.

-Jay

<*splork*>

Please, beverage warnings are in order.

1980 - 25 = 1955. You're right! It was the 50s.

"The hypocholesterolemic action of diets rich in
polyunsaturated fats has been known for 25 years..." [1]

Ref:
1. Shepherd J, Packard CJ, Grundy SM, Yeshurun D, Gotto AM Jr, Taunton OD.
Effects of saturated and polyunsaturated fat diets on the chemical composition
and metabolism of low density lipoproteins in man. J Lipid Res. 1980
Jan;21(1):91-9.

x-no-archive: yes

Quoted message said:

1980 - 25 = 1955. You're right! It was the 50s.

"The hypocholesterolemic action of diets rich in
polyunsaturated fats has been known for 25 years..." [1]

Ref:
1. Shepherd J, Packard CJ, Grundy SM, Yeshurun D, Gotto AM Jr, Taunton OD.
Effects of saturated and polyunsaturated fat diets on the chemical
composition
and metabolism of low density lipoproteins in man. J Lipid Res. 1980
Jan;21(1):91-9.

You said "no one." Glad you found someone.

Susan

Susan said:

x-no-archive: yes

Quoted message said:

1980 - 25 = 1955. You're right! It was the 50s.

"The hypocholesterolemic action of diets rich in
polyunsaturated fats has been known for 25 years..." [1]

Ref:
1. Shepherd J, Packard CJ, Grundy SM, Yeshurun D, Gotto AM Jr, Taunton OD.
Effects of saturated and polyunsaturated fat diets on the chemical
composition
and metabolism of low density lipoproteins in man. J Lipid Res. 1980
Jan;21(1):91-9.

You said "no one." Glad you found someone.

?

On 21 Sep 2004 10:51:42 -0700, [email hidden] (tcomeau) posted:

Quoted message said:

Imagine that... a fatty food being good for blood lipids.

Are you not aware that there are different types of fat?
The fat in an almond (or other nuts) is quite different from the much
greater amount of fat in a supersized burger. It's quantity and type.
Too many high energy foods, and the wrong proportion of fat types is
what is causing many of our problems.

Quoted message said:

I imagine this is considered a paradox amongst those who believe that
dietary fat equals bad cholesterol.

Who believes this? Too many calories will screw up your fat
metabolism. And fat contains more energy than any other food.
An energy balanced diet with the correct proportion of fat types will
result in an optimum diet with respect to the factors mentioned here.

Quoted message said:

TC

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

New research shows a diet that consists of healthy foods, including
almonds, may be as effective in lowering cholesterol as certain drugs.
Researchers say incorporating almonds into ones diet might help to
moderately lower cholesterol levels. The easiest substitutions to try
might include a snack of almonds instead of popcorn, pretzels or
potato chips.
Researchers from Toronto studied a group of people with high
cholesterol levels to determine whether following a specific diet can
reduce those levels. The participants were divided into three groups.
The first group followed a low-fat diet that included whole-wheat
cereals and dairy foods. The second group followed the same diet and
also took a 20-milligram cholesterol-lowering pill each day. The third
group followed the Portfolio eating plan, which includes a diet high
in soy, fiber and almonds.
Results of the study show those who followed the Portfolio diet plan
lowered their LDL or bad cholesterol by more than 30 percent.
Researchers say the diet was as effective in managing cholesterol as
taking a starting dose of cholesterol-lowering drugs. Previous studies
have also shown the Portfolio plan has consistently displayed a
drug-like effect in improving cholesterol levels.
Patients on the Portfolio diet ate a handful of almonds each day.
Researchers say the almonds, which are high in vitamin E, may have
been a factor in lowering the participants C-reactive protein levels.
High levels of C-reactive proteins are an indication of inflamed
arteries and a risk factor for heart disease.