In the News: Nuts, Hibiscus Tea and Vitamin E

Adding Nuts to a Healthy Diet Has Rewards

A newly published review offers the best evidence yet that eating nuts can reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, especially in people with elevated levels of these blood lipids (1). The analysis, which examined data from 25 different clinical trials, found that eating an average of a little over 2 oz. of nuts daily cut LDL cholesterol by about 7% and triglycerides by 10%.

According to the study authors, the type of nuts eaten did not seem to make a difference to the overall heart-healthy effect. They did find, though, that the cholesterol-lowering effects of nuts were strongest in thinner compared to overweight people, and added that more research is needed to understand why.

Nuts are naturally low in sodium and sugar, and are a good source of healthy fats as well as fiber, protein, B-vitamins and minerals. That makes them a good hunger-quenching snack. Nuts like walnuts, pecans, pistachios and almonds can also be tossed with vegetables and added to salads. It’s best to choose unsalted nuts, and to keep intake at a maximum of about 3 oz daily (roughly 2/3 cup) since they provide around 150-200 calories per oz. Because of their fat content, nuts are best stored in the refrigerator.

Hibiscus Tea May Lower Blood Pressure

Next time you have your mid-afternoon snack, try having a cup of hibiscus tea along with your handful of walnuts. According to a new study from Tufts University, a few cups of hibiscus tea a day may reduce blood pressure and offer benefits for those at risk of developing hypertension (2).

In this clinical trial, 65 adults aged 30-70 with pre-hypertension or mildly elevated blood pressure were randomly assigned to consume either 3 servings of the brewed tea (roughly 8 oz or 1 cup per serving) or a placebo drink for 6 weeks. None of the participants were taking blood pressure-lowering medications.

At the end of the study, people in the hibiscus tea group had an average reduction of 7.2 points (mmHg) in their systolic blood pressure compared to a 1.3 drop in the placebo group. A slight decrease in diastolic pressure was also noted in the tea drinkers. Systolic pressure is the top number, and diastolic the bottom number in blood pressure readings. Pre-hypertension is defined as a blood pressure reading that’s between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, and signals that a person is at risk of developing hypertension.

The blood-pressure lowering effects of hibiscus tea, according to the researchers, may be due to its relaxing action on blood vessels or to the vessel-protecting effects of its flavonoid (anthocyanin) content. There is also some indication that Hibiscus tea may act as a diuretic.

Vitamin E Helps Fight Fatty Liver Disease

NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) is a disease where excess fat in the liver causes inflammation and damage. The disease, which is linked to weight gain and obesity, can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

An NIH-funded clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 43% of non-diabetic people with NASH showed significant improvement in their liver cells when given 800 IU of vitamin E daily compared to only 19% of those receiving a placebo and 34% of those given a medication (pioglitazone) over a 96-week period (3).

Fatty liver disease is a growing problem in the U.S and we currently have no approved medication to offer patients, according to one of the study’s investigators. Vitamin E may hold promise for those with NASH, and people who are overweight may lower their risk of this disease by slimming down.

References

1. Sabate J, et al. Nut consumption and blood lipid levels: A pooled analysis of 25 intervention trials. Archives of Internal Medicine 10:821-27, 2010.
2. McKay DL, et al. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. Journal of Nutrition 140:298-303, 2010.
3. Sanyal A, et al. Pioglitazone, vitamin E or placebo for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. New England Journal of Medicine 362:1675-85, 2010.