Jaceldo-Siegl, K., J. Sabate, S. Rajaram, G.E. Fraser, 2004. Long-term supplementation without advice on food replacement induces favourable nutrient modifications to the habitual diets of free-living individuals. Brit. J. Nutr. 92:533-540.
Epidemiological and metabolic studies have shown that regular nut consumption may protect against risk of heart disease and diabetes. None has investigated the effect of adding nuts to a self-selected habitual diet (containing little or no nuts) on dietary patterns. The present study evaluated the impact of long-term almond supplementation in healthy men (n 43) and women (n 38) aged 25–70 years on nutrient profile and nutrient displacement. All subjects were followed for 1 year. During the first 6 months, subjects followed their habitual diets; in the second 6 months, subjects added almonds to their diets. Diets were assessed by seven random 24 h telephone diet recalls during each diet period. On average, the almond supplement was 52 g/d (about forty-two nuts) containing 1286 kJ. When subjects changed from their habitual diet to the almond-supplemented diet, the intakes of MUFA, PUFA, fiber, vegetable protein, α-tocopherol, Cu and Mg significantly (P<0.05) increased by 42, 24, 12, 19, 66, 15 and 23% respectively; the intakes of trans fatty acids, animal protein, Na, cholesterol and sugars significantly (P<0.05) decreased by 14, 9, 21, 17 and 13% respectively. These spontaneous nutrient changes closely match the dietary recommendations to prevent cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Displacement estimates for total energy, total protein, total fat, SFA, MUFA, PUFA, total fiber, Ca, Fe, Mg, P, K, Zn and α-tocopherol ranged from 16 to 98%; the estimates for total food weight, carbohydrate, sugars and Se were >245 %. A daily supplement of almonds can induce favorable nutrient modifications for chronic disease prevention to an individual’s habitual diet.
US Food and Drug Administration, Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, Title II of Public Law 108-282, http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgact.html
Ellis, P.R., Kendall, C.W.C., Ren, Y., Parker, C., Pacy, J.P., Waldron, K.W., D.J.Q. Jenkins, 2004. Role of cell walls in the bioaccessibility of lipids in almond seeds. Am J Clin Nutr. 80:604-13.
Background: Certain nutrients and phytochemicals in almonds may confer protection against cardiovascular disease, but little is known about factors that influence their bioavailability. A crucial and relevant aspect is the amount of these dietary components available for absorption in the intestine, which is a concept referred to as bioaccessibility. Objective: We investigated the role played by cell walls in influencing the bioaccessibility of intracellular lipid from almond seeds. Design: Quantitative analyses of nonstarch polysaccharides (NSPs) and phenolic compounds of cell walls were performed by gas-liquid chromatography and HPLC, respectively. In a series of experiments, the effects of mechanical disruption, chewing, and digestion on almond seed microstructure and intracellular lipid release were determined. In the digestibility study, fecal samples were collected from healthy subjects who had consumed diets with or without almonds. Almond seeds and fecal samples were examined by microscopy to identify cell walls and intracellular lipid. Results: Cell walls were found to be rich in NSPs, particularly arabinose-rich polysaccharides, with a high concentration of phenolics compounds detected in the seed coat cell wall. During disruption of almond tissue by mechanical methods or chewing, only the first layer of cells at the fractured surface was ruptured and able to release lipid. In fecal samples collected from subjects consuming the almond diet, we observed intact cotyledonary cells, in which the cell walls encapsulated intracellular lipid. This lipid appeared susceptible to colonic fermentation once the cotyledonary cell walls were breached by bacterial degradation. Conclusion: The cell walls of almond seeds reduce lipid bioaccessibility by hindering the release of lipid available for digestion.
Burton-Freeman, B., P.A. Davis, B.O. Schneeman, 2004. Interaction of fat availability and sex on postprandial satiety and cholecystokinin after mixed-food meals. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 80:1207-14.
Background: Cholecystokinin (CCK) is associated with fat induced satiety. Objective: The primary objective of the present study was to determine, in an acute meal setting, whether the availability of dietary fat for alimentary processing, and hence the stimulation of CCK, affects the postmeal satiety response in men and women. Design: In a within-subjects design, subjects (8 men, 7 women) consumed 1 of 3 isoenergetic mixed-food test meals 1 wk apart in random order. The test meals contained 30% of energy from fat, of which more than two-thirds was derived from whole almonds, almond oil, or a mix of safflower and corn oils. Visual analogue scales were used to assess indexes of satiety at defined time points up to 6 h after meal consumption. Blood was sampled at corresponding time points for measurement of CCK, glucose, insulin, and triacylglycerol. Subsequent food intake was also assessed. Results: All meals suppressed hunger and induced a pattern of satiety that was sex-specific and corresponded with the CCK response. Women had higher plasma CCK concentrations and experienced greater satiety after the almond oil and control meals (fat as oil) than after the whole almond meal (fat in whole food structure). Men showed no differential response among meals for CCK and satiety. Plasma triacylglycerol differed by time among meals but not by sex, and no significant differences in glucose and insulin were found. Conclusions: The satiety response to dietary fat provided in oil or whole food form is influenced by sex and is dependent on the availability of fat to stimulate CCK release in women but not in men.
Wu, X., Beecher, G.R., Holden, J.M., Haytowitz, D.B., Gebhardt, S.E., R.L. Prior, 2004. Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States. J Agric Food Chem. 52:4026-37.
Both lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities were determined using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORACFL) assay with fluorescein as the fluorescent probe and 2,2´-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride as a peroxyl radical generator on over 100 different kinds of foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, spices, cereals, infant, and other foods. Most of the foods were collected from four different regions and during two different seasons in U.S. markets. Total phenolics of each sample were also measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Hydrophilic ORACFL values (H-ORACFL) ranged from 0.87 to 2641 μmol of Trolox equivalents (TE)/g among all of the foods, whereas lipophilic ORACFL values (L-ORACFL) ranged from 0.07 to 1611 μmol of TE/g. Generally, L-ORACFL values were <10% of the H-ORACFL values except for a very few samples. Total antioxidant capacity was calculated by combining L-ORACFL and H-ORACFL. Differences of ORACFL values in fruits and vegetables from different seasons and regions were relatively large for some foods but could not be analyzed in detail because of the sampling scheme. Two different processing methods, cooking and peeling, were used on selected foods to evaluate the impact of processing on ORACFL. The data demonstrated that processing can have significant effects on ORACFL. Considering all of the foods analyzed, the relationship between TP and H-ORACFL showed a very weak correlation. Total hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity intakes were calculated to be 5558 and 166 μmol of TE/day, respectively, on the basis of data from the USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (1994-1996).
Gu, L., M.A. Kelm, J.F. Hammerstone, G. Beecher, J. Holden, D. Haytowitz, S. Gebhardt, R.L. Prior, 2004. Concentrations of proanthocyanidins in common foods and estimations of normal consumption. J Nutr. 134:613-17.
Proanthocyanidins (PAs) have been shown to have potential health benefits. However, no data exist concerning their dietary intake. Therefore, PAs in common and infant foods from the U.S. were analyzed. On the bases of our data and those from the USDA’s Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) of 1994-1996, the mean daily intake of PAs in the U.S. population (>2 y old) was estimated to be 57.7 mg/person. Monomers, dimers, trimers, and those above trimers contribute 7.1, 11.2, 7.8, and 73.9% of total PAs, respectively. The major sources of PAs in the American diet are apples (32.0%), followed by chocolate (17.9%) and grapes (17.8%). The 2- to 5-y-old age group (68.2 mg/person) and men >60 y old (70.8 mg/person) consume more PAs daily than other groups because they consume more fruit. The daily intake of PAs for 4- to 6-mo-old and 6- to 10-mo-old infants was estimated to be 1.3 mg and 26.9 mg, respectively, based on the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. This study supports the concept that PAs account for a major fraction of the total flavonoids ingested in Western diets.
Young, C. T., W. E. Schadel, H. E. Pattee, T. H. Sanders, 2004. The microstructure of almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb cv. ‘Nonpareil’) cotyledon. Lebensm.-Wiss. u.-Technol. 37:317-322.
Microstructure of almond cotyledon was observed with light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The objective of this study was to characterize almond cotyledon surfaces as well as to describe internal and sub cellular organization. This study will serve as a reference for future evaluation of the Microstructural changes, which occur as almonds are cooked or processed into other forms such as paste or butter. The testa has an outer epidermis, which consists of relatively large thin-walled cells, which range from 100 to 300 μm in width. The major portion of the testa consists of approximately 14-20 layers of flattened parenchymal vascular tissue. The embryo consisted primarily of parenchymal tissue with relatively thin cell walls (1-3 μm in thickness) and a small amount of provascular tissue. Protein bodies up to 12 μm in width and spaces once occupied by lipid bodies up to 3μm in width were present in all cells of the embryo.
Lapsley, K.G., G. Huang, 2004. Health benefits of almonds. Cereal Foods World. 49:1: 6-10.
This overview focuses first on the nutrition research linking almonds and heart health whether as a single food within a dose-response study (with a cholesterol lowering effect of approximately 5%) or in a dietary portfolio of other foods with proven heart health benefits (where there are combined cholesterol lowering effects of up to 30%). The emerging research that almonds as a nutrient-rich, satiating food may have a role to play in weight control and maintenance is reviewed next, followed by the latest information on almond phytochemicals and their potential role in cancer prevention. The article ends with a description of the California almond industry and the almond varieties grown and their uses.
Lamarche, B., S. Desroches, D.J.A. Jenkins, C.W.C. Kendall, A. Marchie, D. Faulker, E. Vidgen, K.G. Lapsley, E. Trautwein, T. Parker, R. Josse, L. A. Leiterm P. W. Connelly, 2004. Combined effects of a dietary portfolio of plant sterols, vegetable protein, viscous fiber and almonds on LDL particle size. Brit J Nutr. 92:657-63.
Studies conducted in the last 20 years have led to the identification of small dense LDL as an important risk factor for CVD. Consumption of plant sterols, soyabean proteins, viscous fiber and nuts are known to modulate the risk of CVD favorably through their cholesterol (Chol)-lowering properties, both independently and more recently in combination. Nevertheless, their combined impact on the LDL particle size phenotype has never been tested. In the present study, we assessed the effect of incorporating concurrently plant sterols (1 g/4.2 MJ), soyabean protein (23 g/4.2 MJ), viscous fiber (9 g/4.2 MJ) and almonds (15 g/4.2 MJ) into a diet very low in saturated fat in twelve patients with mildly elevated plasma LDL-Chol levels. Fasting blood lipids were obtained at the start of the study and at 2-week intervals during the 4-week study. The diet-induced reduction in plasma LDL-Chol of 30.0 (se 3.0) % (P<0.0001) was attributed to concurrent reductions in the serum Chol concentrations of large (>26.0 nm-30 (se 8) %, P<0.001), medium (25.5-26.0 nm-29 (se 3) %, P<0.001) and small (<25.5 nm-21 (sd 6) %, P<0.01) LDL particles, with near maximal reductions seen by week 2. These results indicate that foods and dietary components advocated for their potential to reduce the risk of CVD are effective in reducing serum concentrations of all LDL fractions including small dense LDL, thus potentially further contributing to an overall lower risk of CVD.
Jenab, M., et al., 2004. Association of nut and seed intake with colorectal cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 13(10):1595-603.
A link between unsaturated fatty acids or phytonutrients and reduced risk of colorectal cancer has been suggested. However, the effects of higher intake of dietary sources of these nutrients, such as the nuts and seeds food group, are less clear. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of nut and seed intake on colorectal cancer risk within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study, a large prospective cohort study involving 10European countries. Total nut and seed intake was determined from country-specific dietary questionnaires. The data set included 478,040 subjects (141,988 men, 336,052 women) with a total of 855 (327 men, 528 women) colon and 474 (215 men, 259 women) rectal cancer cases. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, stratified by center and controlled for fruit intake, dietary fiber, energy, height, weight, sex, age, physical activity, and smoking, was used. The data show no association between higher intake of nuts and seeds and risk of colorectal, colon, and rectal cancers in men and women combined, but a significant inverse association was observed in subgroup analyses for colon cancer in women at the highest (>6.2 g/d) versus the lowest (nonconsumers; hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.95) category of intake and for the linear effect of log-transformed intake (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.98), with no associations in men. It is not evident from this data why there may be a stronger association in women or why it may be limited to the colon, suggesting that much further research is necessary.
