Uric acid and Almonds

If you have a family history of heart disease, you’re no doubt aware of the factors that can lower your risk of a heart attack and stroke.  However, even where there is no history of any heart troubles, there is another factor that can greatly increase your risk…Hyperuricemia. That’s a condition related to high levels of uric acid in the body resulting from the natural breakdown of cells and as a byproduct of the foods you eat. And gout – a type of recurrent arthritis- commonly associated with high levels of uric acid. In addition to causing a painful gouty joint (most often in your foot), uric acid is also an important biomarker of your vascular function. On a more sinister level, high levels of uric acid can be a sign of coronary artery disease (CAD). And in fact, studies show that each 1 mg/dL increase in blood uric acid levels increases the risk of heart-associated death by 12 percent!

In recent years, the Western diet — full of sugar and refined carbohydrates — has been responsible for increasing levels of uric acid in many people.

But as luck would have it, there is a very simple way to reduce uric acid in your body…

Eat almonds every day- When researchers gave 150 CAD patients 10 grams of almonds each morning on an empty stomach for 12 weeks, they discovered their uric acid levels were 14 to 18 percent lower than those consuming no nuts. So what is it about almonds that douse uric acid and protect you heart attack, stroke and gout?

Almonds provide a wide range of highly bioavailable nutrients that not only have a positive impact on uric acid levels but provide plenty of other health benefits, too.

A small handful of almonds provides:

·         Magnesium (96 mg) – for optimal heart and muscle function

·         Calcium (96 mg) – for maintaining strong bones

·         Potassium (262 mg) – for regulating blood pressure

·         Phosphorus (172 mg) – for energy production and bone mineralization

·         Vitamin E  (9 mg) – a powerful antioxidant to fight free radicals and reduce inflammation

·         Soluble fibre  (4.5 g) – for optimal digestion, blood sugar and cholesterol regulation

·         Protein (6 g) – to support effective cell building and to stabilize blood sugar

·         Monounsaturated fat (7 g) – to correct cholesterol irregularities with proven ability to increase levels of “good” HDL cholesterol

·         L arginine  (1 g) – a precursor to nitric oxide, a compound that promotes healthy circulation and blood pressure

Snacking on almonds directly is obviously one way to consume them. And all it takes to reduce uric acid levels is a measly 7 to 8 nuts per day.

And best way is to soak them and have daily.