Archive

Research Nut: Pecans

Nut Consumption and Survival in Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer: Results From CALGB 89803 (Alliance).

Fadelu, T., S. Zhang, D. Niedzwiecki, X. Ye, L.B. Saltz, R.J. Mayer, R.B. Mowat, R. Whittom, A. Hantel, A.B. Benson, D.M. Atienza, M. Messino, H.L. Kindler, A. Venook, S. Ogino, K. Ng, K. Wu, W. Willett, E. Giovannucci, J. Meyerhardt, Y. Bao, C.S. Fuchs, 2018. Nut Consumption and Survival in Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer: Results From CALGB 89803 (Alliance). J Clin Oncol. 36(11):1112-1120.

Purpose: Observational studies have reported increased colon cancer recurrence and mortality in patients with states of hyperinsulinemia, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and high glycemic load diet. Nut intake has been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance. However, the effect of nut intake on colon cancer recurrence and survival is not known. Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study of 826 eligible patients with stage III colon cancer who reported dietary intake on food frequency questionnaires while enrolled onto a randomized adjuvant chemotherapy trial. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we assessed associations of nut intake with cancer recurrence and mortality. Results: After a median follow-up of 6.5 years, compared with patients who abstained from nuts, individuals who consumed two or more servings of nuts per week experienced an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for disease-free survival of 0.58 (95% CI, 0.37 to 0.92; Ptrend = .03) and an HR for overall survival of 0.43 (95% CI, 0.25 to 0.74; Ptrend = .01). In subgroup analysis, the apparent benefit was confined to tree nut intake (HR for disease-free survival, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.85; Ptrend = .04; and HR for overall survival, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.82; Ptrend = .04). The association of total nut intake with improved outcomes was maintained across other known or suspected risk factors for cancer recurrence and mortality. Conclusion: Diets with a higher consumption of nuts may be associated with a significantly reduced incidence of cancer recurrence and death in patients with stage III colon cancer.

A pecan-rich diet improves cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults: A randomized controlled trial.

McKay, D.L., M. Eliasziw, C.Y.O. Chen, J.B. Blumberg, 2018. A pecan-rich diet improves cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2018, 10, 339; doi:10.3390/nu10030339.

Evidence from observational and intervention studies has shown a high intake of tree nuts is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), mortality from type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and all-cause mortality. However, there is limited data regarding their effects on indicators of cardiometabolic risk other than hypercholesterolemia, and little is known about the demonstrable health benefits of pecans (Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K.Koch). We conducted a randomized, controlled feeding trial to compare the effects of a pecan-rich diet with an isocaloric control diet similar in total fat and fiber content, but absent nuts, on biomarkers related to CVD and T2DM risk in healthy middle-aged and older adults who are overweight or obese with central adiposity. After 4 weeks on a pecan-rich diet, changes in serum insulin, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and beta cell function (HOMA-β) were significantly greater than after the control diet (p < 0.05). Pecan consumption also lowered the risk of cardiometabolic disease as indicated by a composite score reflecting changes in clinically relevant markers. Thus, compared to the control diet, the pecan intervention had a concurrent and clinically significant effect on several relevant markers of cardiometabolic risk.

Effect of natural polyphenol on the oxidative stability of pecan oil.

Zhang, Y.-Y., F. Zhang, K. Thakur, A.-T. Ci, H. Wang, J.-G. Zhang, Z.-J. Wei, 2018. Effect of natural polyphenol on the oxidative stability of pecan oil. Food Chem Toxicol. 119:489-495.

We evaluated the antioxidant activity of natural polyphenols which gives high oxidative stability to the pecan oil. The in vitro DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power and total antioxidant activity of tested antioxidants demonstrated that tannic acid displayed the highest DPPH scavenging activity and provided the largest reducing power. During storage of pecan oil, based on oxidative stability tests, we further evaluated the protective effect of polyphenols and synthetic antioxidants on the oxidative stability of pecan oil. The results showed that caffeic acid inhibited oxidation of pecan oil effectively. Sesamol and catechin showed slight improvement in oxidative stability, while ferulic acid, erucic acid and rutin had no effect. Taken together, compared with synthetic antioxidants (TBHQ, BHT, BHA), caffeic acid was observed to be stronger than BHT and BHA and was close to TBHQ.

Effect of nut consumption on semen quality and functionality in healthy men consuming a Western-style diet: a randomized controlled trial.

Salas-Huetos, A., R. Moraleda, S. Giardina, E. Anton, J. Blanco, J. Salas-Salvadó, M. Bulló, 2018. Effect of nut consumption on semen quality and functionality in healthy men consuming a Western-style diet: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 108:953–962.

Background: Human semen quality has declined in industrialized countries. Pollution, smoking, and the consumption of a Western style diet are all hypothesized as potential causes. Objective: We evaluated the effect of chronic consumption of nuts on changes in conventional semen parameters and the potential mechanisms implicated. Design: The FERTINUTS study was a 14-wk randomized, controlled, parallel trial. A total of 119 healthy men, aged 18–35 y, were allocated to 1 of 2 intervention groups: one group was fed the usual Western-style diet enriched with 60 g of a mixture of nuts/d (nut group), and the other was fed the usual Western-style diet avoiding nuts (control group). Semen and blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Dietary information was recorded throughout the trial. Changes in conventional semen parameters (pH, volume, sperm count and concentration, motility, and morphology) were determined as primary outcomes. The effect of nut consumption on sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, chromosome anomalies (X, Y, and 18), total DNA methylation, and microRNA expression were measured in sperm samples as potential causes of the changes in the seminogram. Results: Compared with the control group, improvements in total sperm count (P = 0.002) and vitality (P = 0.003), total motility (P = 0.006), progressive motility (P = 0.036), and morphology of sperm (P = 0.008) were observed in the nut group. Participants in the nut group showed an increase in the consumption of total fat, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin E, α-linolenic acid, total omega-3 (n–3) and ω-3: ω-6 ratio intake during the intervention. Participants in the nut group showed a significant reduction in SDF (P < 0.001) and in the expression of hsa-miR-34b-3p (P = 0.036). No significant changes in ROS, sperm chromosome anomalies, or DNA methylation were observed between groups. Conclusions: The inclusion of nuts in a Western-style diet significantly improves the total sperm count and the vitality, motility, and morphology of the sperm. These findings could be partly explained by a reduction in the sperm DNA fragmentation. This trial was registered at ISRCTN as ISRCTN12857940.