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MONDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A high-fat dinner followed by an unusual dessert suggests that walnuts might be even better for the arteries than olive oil, Spanish researchers report.
The dinner consisted of a salami and cheese sandwich on white bread, plus high-fat yogurt. The "dessert" consisted of five teaspoons of olive oil for half the diners and 40 grams of walnuts (about eight shelled nuts) for the other half.
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Ultrasound examinations showed that the arteries of those eating the walnuts stayed more flexible and elastic after the fatty meal those of the folks who ate olive oil. The study's 24 adult participants had varying levels of blood cholesterol, ranging from healthy to moderately high.
"This study shows the mechanism for the beneficial effects of walnuts," contended study lead researcher Dr. Emilio Ros, director of the Lipid Clinic at Hospital Clinico in Barcelona.
Both olive oil and walnuts decrease the onset of inflammation and oxidation in the arteries after a high-fat meal, but walnuts preserve the blood vessels' flexibility while olive oil does not, according to Ros. He attributed much of the beneficial effect to the alpha-linolenic acid found in walnuts. This nutrient is similar to the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.
The study, which was funded in part by the California Walnut Board, was expected to be published in the Oct. 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Ros points out that authorities such as the American Heart Association recommend that Americans eat at least two fish servings a week, preferable oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s increase blood levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" kind that helps keep arteries clear.
The only problem with that recommendation, Ros said, is that fish isn't as easy to buy and consume as walnuts. The alpha-linolenic acid in walnuts has the same chemical structure as omega-3 fatty acids, he noted, and "linolenic acid found in plant foods provide an inexhaustible supply, while fish are being depleted."
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