Malik, V.S., M. Guasch-Ferre, F.B. Hu, M.K. Townsend, O.A. Zeleznik, A.H. Eliassen, S.S. Tworoger, E.W. Karlson, K.H. Costenbader, A. Ascherio, K.M. Wilson, L.A. Mucci, E.L. Giovannucci, C.S. Fuchs, Y. Bao, 2019. Identification of plasma lipid metabolites associated with nut consumption in US men and women. J Nutr 149:1215–1221.
BACKGROUND: Intake of nuts has been inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, partly through inducing a healthy lipid profile. How nut intake may affect lipid metabolites remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the plasma lipid metabolites associated with habitual nut consumption in US men and women. METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data from 1099 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHS II, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Metabolic profiling was conducted on plasma by LC-mass spectrometry. Nut intake was estimated from food-frequency questionnaires. We included 144 known lipid metabolites that had CVs ≤25%. Multivariate linear regression was used to assess the associations of nut consumption with individual plasma lipid metabolites. RESULTS: We identified 17 lipid metabolites that were significantly associated with nut intake, based on a 1 serving (28 g)/d increment in multivariate models [false discovery rate (FDR) P value <0.05]. Among these species, 8 were positively associated with nut intake [C24:0 sphingomyelin (SM), C36:3 phosphatidylcholine (PC) plasmalogen-A, C36:2 PC plasmalogen, C24:0 ceramide, C36:1 PC plasmalogen, C22:0 SM, C34:1 PC plasmalogen, and C36:2 phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen], with changes in relative metabolite level (expressed in number of SDs on the log scale) ranging from 0.36 to 0.46 for 1 serving/d of nuts. The other 9 metabolites were inversely associated with nut intake with changes in relative metabolite level ranging from -0.34 to -0.44. In stratified analysis, 3 metabolites were positively associated with both peanuts and peanut butter (C24:0 SM, C24:0 ceramide, and C22:0 SM), whereas 6 metabolites were inversely associated with other nuts (FDR P value <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A panel of lipid metabolites was associated with intake of nuts, which may provide insight into biological mechanisms underlying associations between nuts and cardiometabolic health. Metabolites that were positively associated with intake of nuts may be helpful in identifying potential biomarkers of nut intake.
Rusu, M.E., A. Mocan, I.C.F.R. Ferreira, D.-S. Popa, 2019. Health benefits of nut consumption in middle‐aged and elderly population. Antioxidants. 8, 302; doi:10.3390/antiox8080302.
Aging is considered the major risk factor for most chronic disorders. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are two major contributors for cellular senescence, downregulation of stress response pathways with a decrease of protective cellular activity and accumulation of cellular damage, leading in time to age‐related diseases. This review investigated the most recent clinical trials and cohort studies published in the last ten years, which presented the influence of tree nut and peanut antioxidant diets in preventing or delaying age‐related diseases in middle‐aged and elderly subjects (≥55 years old). Tree nut and peanut ingestion has the possibility to influence blood lipid count, biochemical and anthropometric parameters, endothelial function and inflammatory biomarkers, thereby positively affecting cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality, cancers, and cognitive disorders, mainly through the nuts’ healthy lipid profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of actions. Clinical evidence and scientific findings demonstrate the importance of diets characterized by a high intake of nuts and emphasize their potential in preventing age‐related diseases, validating the addition of tree nuts and peanuts in the diet of older adults. Therefore, increased consumption of bioactive antioxidant compounds from nuts clearly impacts many risk factors related to aging and can extend health span and lifespan.
Muralidharan J, S. Galiè, P. Hernández-Alonso, M. Bulló, J. Salas-Salvadó, 2019. Plant-based fat, dietary patterns rich in vegetable fat and gut microbiota modulation. Front. Nutr. 6:157. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00157.
Diet is advocated as a key factor influencing gut microbiota. Several studies have focused on the effect of different carbohydrates, mainly fiber, on gut microbiota. However, what remains to be elucidated is the impact of a key component of diet that is widely debated upon: dietary fats. This review highlights the importance of understanding the source, quality, and type of fats that could differentially modify the intestinal microbiome. Fats from plant-based sources such as nuts, or vegetable oils have shown positive alterations in gut microbiota biodiversity both in in vivo and in vitro studies. Nuts and other plant-based
fat sources, dietary patterns (e.g., Mediterranean diet) rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and, in some cases, polyphenols, and other phytochemicals, have been associated with increased bacterial diversity, as well beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria imparting a positive metabolic influence. It is with this interest, this narrative review brings together evidences on different plant-based fat sources, dietary patterns rich in vegetable fats, and associated changes in gut microbiota.
Keywords: gut microbiota, plant-based fats, nuts, vegetable oils, Mediterranean diet
Kim, Y., J.B. Keogh, P.M. Clifton, 2019. Does nut consumption reduce mortality and/or risk of cardiometabolic disease? An updated review based on meta-analyses. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 16, 4957; doi:10.3390/ijerph16244957.
Aim. We aimed to determine if nut consumption decreases mortality and/or the risk of cardiometabolic diseases based on updated meta-analyses of epidemiological and intervention studies. Methods. An updated electronic search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the Cochrane Library databases for original meta-analyses to investigate the effects of nut consumption on cardiometabolic disease in humans. Results. Seven new meta-analyses were included in this updated review. Findings similar to our previous review were observed, showing that nut consumption significantly decreased cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality (-19% to -25%; n = 4), coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality (-24% to -30%; n = 3), stroke mortality (-17% to -18%; n = 3), CVD incidence (-15% to -19 %; n = 4), CHD [or coronary artery disease (CAD)] incidence (-17% to -34%; n = 8), and stroke incidence (-10% to -11%; n = 6) comparing high with low categories of nut consumption. Fasting glucose levels (0.08 to 0.15 mmol/L; n = 6), total cholesterol (TC; 0.021 to 0.30 mmol/L; n = 10), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; 0.017 to 0.26 mmol/L; n = 10) were significantly decreased with nut consumption compared with control diets. Body weight and blood pressure were not significantly affected by nut consumption. Conclusion. Nut consumption appears to exert a protective effect on cardiometabolic disease, possibly through improved concentrations of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, and LDL-C.
