Walnuts may help lower blood pressure: Study

New Delhi, May 03 (ANI): According to a recent study, when combined with meals low in saturated fats, eating walnuts may help lower blood pressure in people who are at risk for cardiovascular disease. In a randomised, controlled trial, researchers examined the effects of replacing some of the saturated fats in participants' diets with walnuts. They found that when participants ate whole walnuts daily in combination with lower overall amounts of saturated fat, they had lower central blood pressure. Central pressure is the pressure that is exerted on organs like the heart. This measure, like blood pressure measured in the arm the traditional way, provides information about a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Penny Kris-Etherton, lead researcher of the study, claims that the study suggests that because walnuts lowered central pressure, their risk of CVD may have also decreased. According to the researchers, walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid -- ALA -- a plant-bas