I’ve always loved pistachios and now there’s even more evidence that things that taste good can be good for us!

In fact, eating pistachios on a regular basis has been linked to reductions in cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation that can lead to heart disease.

I came across an interesting article in Women’s Health magazine today about a recently released research study from Penn State University. The study followed men and women who ate 1.5 ounces of nuts for four weeks, and then upped it to 3 ounces of nuts for another four weeks.  Interestingly, they saw a decrease in LDL cholesterol (that’s bad cholesterol) when eating 1.5 ounces, which dropped even more when they increased their pistachio intake. Penn State has also done other research linking pistachios to lowered blood pressure.

Because pistachios are low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat, they’re known to be heart healthy. And what’s even better is that you get roughly 50 pistachios in 1 ounce — not bad!

What about you? Do you eat pistachios or other nuts? What are your favorites for supporting your heart health?

Filed under: Cholesterol, Healthy lifestyle, Heart Health, Heart disease, Nuts, Optimal Health