The Greek men who ate this diet had the lowest rate of death from heart disease among participants in the countries studied - the United States, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Yugoslavia, Japan and Greece. Data from this important study is still being collected, and its influence is widely felt. More Interesting Results One 1998 study compared the effect on LDL of three moderately high-fat diets in which the fat sources were mainly olive oil, almonds or dairy products. Again, all but the typical diet lowered total and LDL cholesterol levels. Pecans lowered LDL by 10 percent in four weeks, according to a March 2000 report.
Nuts are also helpful in lowering the risk of some forms of cancer.