Eating walnuts, popularly known as akhrot in India, may be good for our heart health, a recent study has found. According to research, the brain-shaped nut can lower the risk of heart disease, reduce cholesterol levels and control blood pressure due to beneficial changes to our gut microbiome.
New research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology suggests that incorporating walnuts into our diet may be good for the heart.
The study, led by Kristina S. Petersen from Texas Tech University, found that consuming walnuts could increase the production of L-homoarginine, an amino acid linked to lower cardiovascular disease risk.
The researchers analysed faecal samples from 35 people with high cardiovascular risk who followed different diets for six weeks, including one that included walnuts and two others that did not.
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They used metatranscriptomics, a technology that monitors gene expression levels in response to dietary changes, to track the patients. According to the team, it is the first study to use that technology to study the impact of walnut consumption on gut microbiota gene expression.
The researchers found that the gut microbiome of the participants who ate walnuts had more of a specific bacteria that can help the body absorb beneficial plant compounds.
These participants also had higher levels of gene expression related to the production of an amino acid called L-homoarginine, linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
“These exploratory analyses contribute to our understanding of walnut-related modulation of gut microbiome, which could be very impactful in learning how gut health impacts our heart health in general,” said undergraduate researcher Mansi Chandra, who presented the findings.
While further research is needed to confirm the findings, the study suggests that walnuts may have heart-healthy benefits due to the nutrients they contain such as their bioactive compounds and ALA content.
Noting that some people might be allergic to nuts, Chandra pointed out that this could potentially lead to new dietary recommendations in the future or help identify other foods or supplements with similar nutritional benefits.
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