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A: Not only is it okay, health experts say
nuts, like Georgia pecans, should be a regular part your
blood pressure-lowering diet.
Contrary to what you might have heard, pecans are
naturally sodium-free; only when salt is added during
processing do they become a high-salt food to be
avoided.
Pecans and other nuts are an important part of the
diet most often recommended for high blood pressure--the
DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. It
was developed by the National Institutes of Health and
has the seal of approval of health experts because it’s
been proven in several studies as a way to lower blood
pressure without medication.
The diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, low-fat dairy and a recommendation to eat 4 to 5
servings (1 ½ ounces each) of nuts or seeds a week.
Pecans are a natural part of that dietary
recommendation, though macadamias and cashews are not
because they are higher in saturated fat. |
