Nutrition Diet: What Nuts Are Best for Lowering Triglycerides?

October 4, 2025 •

3 min read

Research consistently shows that incorporating nuts into a healthy diet can lead to a significant reduction in triglyceride levels, a type of fat in your blood. When considering what nuts are best for lowering triglycerides, certain varieties offer a powerful combination of healthy fats, fiber, and other beneficial compounds.

Quick Summary

This article explores the most effective nuts for reducing triglycerides, highlighting their unique nutritional profiles and the key mechanisms behind their heart-healthy benefits, such as their rich content of unsaturated fats and fiber.

Key Points

Top Performers: Pistachios and walnuts consistently rank high for their ability to lower triglycerides, according to multiple studies.
Rich in Omega-3s: Walnuts are particularly beneficial due to their high concentration of the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, ALA.
Fiber is Key: The dietary fiber in nuts helps slow the absorption of sugars and fats, directly contributing to lower triglyceride levels.
Healthy Fats Rule: The unsaturated fats found in nuts replace less healthy saturated and trans fats, improving overall blood lipid profiles.
Moderation Matters: Because nuts are calorie-dense, a serving size of one handful per day is recommended as part of a balanced diet to prevent weight gain.
Antioxidant Benefits: Pistachios and other nuts contain antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, further supporting heart health.

Understanding Triglycerides and Their Impact

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. Your body uses them for energy, but high levels can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Excess calories from food, particularly simple carbohydrates and saturated fats, are converted into triglycerides and stored as fat. Incorporating a diet rich in healthier fats, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids is a key strategy for managing high triglyceride levels. This is where nuts can play a crucial role in a heart-healthy nutrition diet.

The Heart-Healthy Nutrient Profile

Nuts offer nutrients that help reduce triglyceride levels. These include unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids (like ALA in walnuts), fiber, and plant sterols. For more details on the nutrient profile of nuts, refer to {Link: American Pistachios website https://americanpistachios.co.uk/research-archives/pistachios-heart-health-research}.

Top Nuts for Lowering Triglycerides

Certain nuts are more effective at reducing triglycerides based on scientific studies.

Pistachios

Pistachios have been shown to help manage blood lipids, including reducing triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol. This is due to their monounsaturated fat, fiber, and antioxidants. Snacking on pistachios can lead to lower triglyceride levels.

Walnuts

Walnuts are high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. Studies indicate walnuts can lower triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol. ALA also helps with fat metabolism and reduces inflammation.

Almonds

Almonds contain healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, and vitamin E. They can help reduce total and LDL cholesterol and may modestly lower triglycerides depending on the amount consumed.

Peanuts and Pecans

Peanuts offer similar heart benefits to tree nuts. Peanuts and pecans can improve lipid profiles, including triglycerides. Pecans can notably lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol. More information on specific nuts and integrating them into your diet can be found on {Link: American Pistachios website https://americanpistachios.co.uk/research-archives/pistachios-heart-health-research}.

Integrating Nuts into a Heart-Healthy Diet

To get the most benefit from nuts for lowering triglycerides, consume a small handful (28-30g) as a snack, add them to meals, use them as a topping, or blend them into sauces.

Comparison of Key Nuts for Lowering Triglycerides


Nut Type	Key Nutrients for Heart Health	Impact on Triglycerides	Best For...
Pistachios	Monounsaturated Fats, Fiber, Antioxidants (gamma-tocopherol)	Significant reduction observed in studies.	Overall lipid profile improvement.
Walnuts	Polyunsaturated Fats (Omega-3 ALA), Antioxidants	Consistently shown to lower triglycerides.	Boosting omega-3 intake from a plant source.
Almonds	Monounsaturated Fats, Fiber, Vitamin E	Modest but consistent reduction reported in meta-analyses.	General heart health and fiber intake.
Pecans	Unsaturated Fats, Fiber, Plant Sterols, Zinc	Shown to significantly lower triglycerides and LDL.	High antioxidant content and LDL reduction.
Peanuts*	Unsaturated Fats, Fiber, Plant Sterols, Niacin	Significant reduction noted, particularly when replacing higher-fat options.	A budget-friendly, protein-rich option for heart health.

*Technically a legume but nutritionally similar to tree nuts. For a comprehensive comparison and more detailed information, please see {Link: American Pistachios website https://americanpistachios.co.uk/research-archives/pistachios-heart-health-research}.

Conclusion

Including various nuts in your diet can effectively manage triglyceride levels. Pistachios and walnuts are particularly effective due to their beneficial fatty acid profiles and high fiber. A small handful of unsalted nuts daily, combined with other healthy lifestyle choices, supports heart health. For more heart health information, refer to resources like the Heart Foundation NZ.

How Your Diet Affects Triglycerides

High triglycerides are linked to excess calories, especially from refined carbohydrates and saturated fats. Nuts, with healthy fats and fiber, can help improve your lipid profile by replacing less healthy food choices and slowing sugar absorption.

What Makes Walnuts and Pistachios Special

Walnuts are rich in ALA, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid linked to lower triglycerides. Pistachios contain antioxidants, fiber, and monounsaturated fats, and studies show including them in diets can improve lipid profiles and reduce triglycerides.

The Role of Moderation

Nuts are calorie-dense, so moderate consumption (about one ounce or a small handful) is recommended to avoid weight gain. Choosing unsalted nuts is important for managing sodium intake and cardiovascular health.

Other Dietary Considerations

To further lower triglycerides, also reduce simple sugars, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol, and choose leaner proteins. Combining diet and exercise offers the most effective approach for managing blood lipid levels. More details on managing blood lipid levels through diet and exercise can be found on {Link: American Pistachios website https://americanpistachios.co.uk/research-archives/pistachios-heart-health-research}.

Frequently Asked Questions

Scientific studies indicate that pistachios and walnuts are among the most effective nuts for lowering triglycerides due to their superior fatty acid profiles, fiber, and antioxidants.

Nuts lower triglycerides through several mechanisms: they provide healthy unsaturated fats that replace less healthy fats, contain fiber that slows fat and sugar absorption, and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially walnuts.

A daily serving of about one ounce (28–30 grams), which is approximately a small handful, is often recommended. This provides heart-healthy benefits without excessive calorie intake.

For optimal heart health, it is best to choose unsalted nuts. The added salt in many commercial nuts can increase blood pressure, potentially offsetting the heart-healthy benefits.

Yes, unsweetened and unsalted nut butters can be a healthy option, as they retain many of the beneficial nutrients. However, whole nuts contain more fiber, and it's essential to check the label for added sugars or unhealthy oils.

The effects of dietary changes can vary, but some studies have shown improvements in blood lipid profiles within several weeks of consistent nut consumption as part of a healthy diet. Consistent, long-term intake is necessary for sustained benefits.

For best results, combine nut consumption with other healthy habits, such as reducing intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, limiting alcohol, and incorporating regular physical activity into your routine.