C.K.B. Ferrari, 2020. Anti-atherosclerotic and cardiovascular protective benefits of Brazilian nuts. Front Biosci (Schol Ed). 12:38-56.
Brazil nuts are rich in magnesium, selenium, arginine and other amino acids, dietary fiber, tocopherols (vitamin E), phytosterols, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, sitosterols, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols and other amino acids. Due to such a rich mixture of nutrients, Brazil nuts protect LDL from peroxidation, and improve endothelial function, blood pressure, lipid metabolism, and decrease endothelial inflammatory markers, DNA oxidation, and blood lipids (cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides). Here, we review and propose biological mechanisms by which bioactive compounds of Brazil nuts afford protections against atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Just a few nuts per day provide sufficient cardiovascular benefits, including protection against development and progression of atherosclerosis.
Jalali, M., M. Karamizadeh, G.A. Ferns, M. Zare, S.P. Moosavian, M. Akbarzadeh, 2020. The effects of cashew nut intake on lipid profile and blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 50:102387. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102387.
Background: Dyslipidemia and hypertension are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some studies have suggested that the consumption of nuts may reduce CVD risk. Objective: The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the efficacy of cashew nut consumption on lipid profile and blood pressure. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were systematically searched to identify randomized control trials (RCTs) examining the effects of cashew nut intake on serum triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), serum total cholesterol (TC), systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) until 15 November 2019. A random-effects model was used to pool weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Potential publication bias was assessed using Egger’s test. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impact of each individual study on the pooled results. Results: A meta-analysis on 392 participants showed that cashew nut consumption had no significant effects on lipid profile and DBP. However, there was a significant reduction in SBP (WMD = -3.39, 95 % CI = [-6.13, -0.65], P = 0.01, I2 = 0.0 %) in the group receiving cashew nut compared to the controls. There was no significant publication bias in the meta-analysis. A sensitivity analysis showed that omitting each study did not change the significance of results. Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrated that cashew nut consumption might reduce SBP but has no effects on lipid profile and DBP.
Morvaridzadeh, M., M. Sepidarkish, F. Farsi, A. Akbari, R. Mostafai, A. Omidi, E. Potter, J. Heshmati, 2020. Effect of cashew nut on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Med Res. 27:348–356.
Introduction: Nuts are one of the dietary components which appear to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease biomarkers. Studies demonstrate beneficial effects of cashews on serum lipids concentration, but results in the literature remain inconclusive. We conducted a review to examine the effects of cashew nut supplementation on serum lipid profile. Methods: Two reviewers independently searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and EMBASE electronic databases from inception until June 2019 without language limitation. Random- and fixed-effects models were used to calculate 95% confidence intervals (CI) for studies. Results: Six randomized clinical trials comprising 531 participants were included in this systematic review. Three studies were included in the meta-analysis model. There were no significant changes for total cholesterol (TC) (standardized mean difference [SMD]: –0.02, 95% CI: –0.32, 0.28), triglycerides (TG) (SMD: –0.01, 95% CI: –0.22, 0.20), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (SMD: 0.09, 95% CI: –0.16, 0.34), or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (SMD: –0.18, 95% CI: –0.75, 0.39). Conclusion: The results of this analysis demonstrate that treatment with cashew nut supplementation alone did not significantly change serum levels of LDL, HDL, TC, or TG.
Liu, K., S. Hui, B. Wang, K. Kaliannan, X. Guo, L. Liang, 2020. Comparative effects of different types of tree nut consumption on blood lipids: a network meta-analysis of clinical trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 111(1):219-227.
Background: Recent evidence has confirmed that nuts are one of the best food groups at reducing LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol (TC). However, the comparative effects of different types of nuts on blood lipids are unclear. Objectives: This network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials aimed to assess the comparative effects of walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, and almonds on typical lipid profiles. Methods: We conducted literature searches to identify studies comparing ≥2 of the following diets-walnut-enriched, pistachio-enriched, hazelnut-enriched, cashew-enriched, almond-enriched, and control diets-for the management of triglycerides (TGs), LDL cholesterol, TC, and HDL cholesterol. Random-effects network meta-analyses, ranking analyses based on the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curves, and sensitivity analyses according to the potential sources of heterogeneity across the included studies were performed for each outcome. Results: Thirty-four trials enrolling 1677 participants were included in this study. The pistachio-enriched diet was ranked best for TG (SUCRA: 85%), LDL cholesterol (SUCRA: 87%), and TC (SUCRA: 96%) reductions. For TG and TC reductions, the walnut-enriched diet was ranked as the second-best diet. Regarding LDL cholesterol reduction, the almond-enriched diet was ranked second best. The pistachio-enriched and walnut-enriched diets were more effective at lowering TG, LDL cholesterol, and TC compared with the control diet. Regarding TG and TC reductions, the pistachio-enriched diet was also more effective than the hazelnut-enriched diet. For TG reduction, the walnut-enriched diet was better than the hazelnut-enriched diet. However, these findings are limited by the low quality of evidence ratings. In addition, the quality of this network meta-analysis was limited by the small number and generally poor reporting of available studies. Conclusions: The pistachio-enriched and walnut-enriched diet could be better alternatives for lowering TGs, LDL cholesterol, and TC compared with other nut-enriched diets included in this study. The findings warrant further evaluation by more high-quality studies. This network meta-analysis was registered at www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO as CRD42019131128.
