Granola is a nutritionally dense food that offers numerous vitamins and minerals. For individuals with arteriosclerosis, granola contains some key nutrients shown to minimize and treat the symptoms of this condition. Granola provides a good source of fiber, folate and zinc, and recent research demonstrates that these nutrients play a role in arteriosclerosis management. If you have arteriosclerosis, speak to your doctor or health care provider about adding granola to your diet.
Complications
Arteriosclerosis, also known as atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, occurs when deposits of fats and cholesterol build up on the interior walls of the arteries. Over time these deposits solidify and restrict blood flow. Arteriosclerosis remains one of the major risk factors for serious health emergencies such as heart attacks, strokes and aneurysms. Although arteriosclerosis cannot be halted once it begins, you can incorporate certain nutrients and lifestyle changes to delay the progression of the disease, according to Pub Med Health.
Fiber
Granola is an excellent source of fiber. A 1-cup serving of granola provides you with 11 grams of fiber, according to the USDA Nutrient Database. Fiber demonstrates properties that slow down the process of arteriosclerosis, according to a 2003 study. Researchers from the University of Southern California recruited subjects between the ages of 40 and 60 and examined the effect of dietary fiber on their arteries. The subjects with higher fiber intake showed a slower progression of arteriosclerosis. The results of this study appeared in the December issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”
Folate
One cup of granola provides you with 100 micrograms of folate. Folate is a B-vitamin that displays a positive impact on arteriosclerosis, particularly endothelial function. The endothelium is a layer of cells within the blood vessels; dysfunction within these cells represents one of the key complications in arteriosclerosis. Folate supplementation improves endothelial function in patients with arteriosclerosis, according to a 2001 study conducted by University of Wales College of Medicine researchers. The results of this study appeared in the journal, “Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.”
Zinc
One cup of granola contains 4.92 milligrams of zinc. This mineral demonstrates an anti-inflammatory effect on arteriosclerosis, according to a 2010 study. Researchers from Wayne State University recruited 40 subjects between the ages of 56 and 83 and supplemented them with 45 milligrams of zinc every day for six months. At the conclusion of the study, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein decreased significantly. The researchers concluded that zinc protects arteriosclerosis patients from inflammation. These results appeared in the June issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”
References
- Pub Med Health; Hardening of the Arteries; David C. Dugdale, III, M.D., et al.; May 2011
- USDA Nutrient Database; Cereals Ready-to-Eat, Granola, Homemade
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Fiber and Progression of Atherosclerosis: The Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study; Huiyun Wu, et al.; December 2003
- "Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology"; Folate Improves Endothelial Function in Coronary Artery Disease; Sagar N. Doshi, et al.; 2001
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Zinc Decreases C-Reactive Protein, Lipid Peroxidation, and Inflammatory Cytokines in Elderly Subjects: A Potential Implication of Zinc as an Atheroprotective Agent; B. Bao, et al.; June 2010
