Researchers have discovered that eating a small packet of nuts a day could help to lower cholesterol levels.
The team, from Loma Linda University in the US, found that by consuming 67 grams of nuts each day, people can reduce their cholesterol by 7.4 per cent.
It is thought that the plant sterols in nuts help to prevent the absorption of cholesterol and the experts recommended eating them as part of a varied diet.
People suffering from high cholesterol are at greater risk of heart attacks and strokes, as the substance can clog arteries.
Lead researcher Dr Joan Sabate said: "Nuts are a wholefood that have been consumed by humans throughout history.
"Increasing consumption as part of an otherwise prudent diet can favourably affect blood lipid levels, at least in the short term, and lower coronary heart disease risk," she remarked.
However, experts have warned that eating salted nuts or nuts coated in sugar could negate the heath benefits.
The study also found that the impact of nut consumption on the cholesterol levels of obese people were less pronounced.