High consumption of nuts may be linked to lower cholesterol, according to a report published in the journal, Archives of Internal Medicine.

During a recent study, investigators from Loma Linda University in California collected data from 25 trials conducted in order to determine the health benefits of eating nuts. The research was based on more than 580 individuals who had either high or normal cholesterol levels, and compared control groups to people consuming nuts.

Participants ate approximately 67 grams of nuts per day, and investigators found this consumption to be connected to an average 5 percent lower cholesterol concentration in the blood. The results of these studies also showed a 7.4 percent lower level of lipoprotein, which is categorized as bad cholesterol, and an 8.3 percent improved ratio of bad cholesterol and high-density cholesterol, or good cholesterol, in the blood.

The researchers stated that “increasing the consumption of nuts as part of an otherwise prudent diet can be expected to favorably affect blood lipid levels [at least in the short term] and have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk.”

In addition to nuts, people who are interested in natural alternatives to lowering their cholesterol are recommended to eat fish, soy foods, beans as well as whole grain breads, crackers, pasta and cereals, according to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.