Kendall, C.W.C., A. Esfahani, J. Truan, K. Srichaikul, D.J.A. Jenkins, 2010. Health benefits of nuts in prevention and management of diabetes. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 19(1):110-116.
The effects of tree nuts on risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), in particular blood lipids, have been investigated in a number of studies and the beneficial effects are now recognized. The beneficial effects of nuts on CHD in cohort studies have also been clearly demonstrated. However, while there is also reason to believe the unique micro- and macronutrient profiles of nuts may help to control blood glucose levels, relatively few studies have investigated their role in diabetes control and prevention. Nuts are low in available carbohydrate, have a healthy fatty acid profile, and are high in vegetable protein, fiber and magnesium. Acute feeding studies indicate that when eaten alone nuts have minimal effects on raising postprandial blood glucose levels. In addition, when nuts are consumed with carbohydrate rich foods, they blunt the postprandial glycemic response of the carbohydrate meal. Despite the success of these acute studies, only a limited number of trials have been conducted with nuts in type 2 diabetes. These studies have either been of insufficient duration to observe changes in HbA1c, as the standard measure of glycemic control, or have been underpowered. Therefore, more long-term clinical trials are required to examine the role of nuts on glycemic control in patients with prediabetes and diabetes. Overall, there are good reasons to justify further exploration of the use of nuts in the prevention of diabetes and its microand macrovascular complications.
Casas-Agustench, P., M. Bulló, J. Salas-Salvadó, 2010. Nuts, inflammation and insulin resistance. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 19(1):124-130.
The beneficial effects of nut consumption on cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been widely documented. These protective effects are mainly attributed to the role of nuts in the metabolism of lipids and lipoproteins. As chronic inflammation is a key early stage in the atherosclerotic process that predicts future CVD events and is closely related to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, many recent studies have focused on the potential effect of nut consumption on inflammation and insulin resistance. Through different mechanisms, some components of nuts such as magnesium, fiber, α-linolenic acid, L-arginine, antioxidants and MUFA may protect against inflammation and insulin resistance. This review evaluates the epidemiologic and experimental evidence in humans demonstrating an association between nut consumption and these two emergent cardio-protective mechanisms.
Sabaté, J., M. Wien, 2010. Nuts, blood lipids and cardiovascular disease. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 19(1):131-136.
The aim of this paper is to evaluate nut-related epidemiological and human feeding study findings and to discuss the important nutritional attributes of nuts and their link to cardiovascular health. Frequent nut consumption has been found to be protective against coronary heart disease in five large epidemiological studies across two continents. A qualitative summary of the data from four of these studies found an 8.3% reduction in risk of death from coronary heart disease for each weekly serving of nuts. Over 40 dietary intervention studies have been conducted evaluating the effect of nut containing diets on blood lipids. These studies have demonstrated that intake of different kinds of nuts lower total and LDL cholesterol and the LDL: HDL ratio in healthy subjects or patients with moderate hypercholesterolaemia, even in the context of healthy diets. Nuts have a unique fatty acid profile and feature a high unsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio, an important contributing factor to the beneficial health effects of nut consumption. Additional cardioprotective nutrients found in nuts include vegetable protein, fiber, α-tocopherol, folic acid, magnesium, copper, phytosterols and other phytochemicals.
Sari, I., Y. Baltaci, C. Bagci,V. Davutoglu, O. Erel, H. Celik, O. Ozer, N. Aksoy, M. Aksoy, 2010. Effect of pistachio diet on lipid parameters, endothelial function, inflammation, and oxidative status: A prospective study. Nutrition. 26(4):399-404.
Objective: Recent studies have suggested that nuts have favorable effects beyond lipid lowering. We aimed to investigate effect of the Antep pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) on blood glucose, lipid parameters, endothelial function, inflammation, and oxidation in healthy young men living in a controlled environment. Methods: A Mediterranean diet was administered to normolipidemic 32 healthy young men (mean age 22 y, range 21-24) for 4 wk. After 4 wk, participants continued to receive the Mediterranean diet but pistachio was added for 4 wk by replacing the monounsaturated fat content constituting 20% of daily caloric intake. Fasting blood samples and brachial endothelial function measurements were performed at baseline and after each diet. Results: Compared with the Mediterranean diet, the pistachio diet decreased glucose (P <0.001, -8.8±8.5%), low-density lipoprotein (P<0.001, -23.2 ± 11.9%), total cholesterol (P<0.001, -21.2 ±9.9%), and triacylglycerol (P = 0.008, -13.8 ±33.8%) significantly and high-density lipoprotein (P = 0.069, —3.1 ± 11.7%) non-significantly. Total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratios decreased significantly (P<0.001 for both). The pistachio diet significantly improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation (P = 0.002, 30% relative increase), decreased serum interleukin-6, total oxidant status, lipid hydroperoxide, and malondialdehyde and increased superoxide dismutase (P<0.001 for all), whereas there was no significant change in C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-a levels. Conclusion: In this trial, we demonstrated that a pistachio diet improved blood glucose level, endothelial function, and some indices of inflammation and oxidative status in healthy young men. These findings are in accordance with the idea that nuts, in particular pistachio nuts, have favorable effects beyond lipid lowering that deserve to be evaluated with prospective follow-up studies.
Alturfan, A.A., E. Emekli-Alturfan, E. Uslu, 2009. Consumption of pistachio nuts beneficially affected blood lipids and total antioxidant activity in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Folia Biol (Praha). 55(4):132-6.
Although nuts are typically high in dietary fat, novel studies have shown that regular consumption of these heart-healthy foods might confer a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease risk. In the present study, we aimed to analyse the effects of pistachio consumption on blood lipids, antioxidant activity, oxidative stress and sialic acid levels in high-fat-fed rats for 8 weeks. The oxidant-antioxidant status was evaluated by the determination of lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances), total antioxidant activity, reduced glutathione content, activity of superoxide dismutase and total thiol levels. Furthermore, tissue damage was evaluated by total sialic acid levels in serum. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, sialic acid and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances significantly increased whereas total antioxidant activity, reduced glutathione, total thiol levels significantly decreased in the hyperlipidaemic group compared to the control group. Pistachio consumption significantly decreased triglycerides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance levels and significantly increased total antioxidant activity in the hyperlipidaemic group. In conclusion, pistachio supplementation may improve blood lipids and ameliorate oxidative stress in experimental hyperlipidaemia, which may have beneficial applications in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. However, its antioxidant mechanisms remain to be investigated.
Razquin, C., J.A. Martinez, M.A. Martinez-Gonzalez, M.T. Mitjavila, R. Estruch, A. Marti, 2009. A 3 years follow-up of a Mediterranean diet rich in virgin olive oil is associated with high plasma antioxidant capacity and reduced body weight gain. Eur J Clin Nutr. 63(12):1387-93.
The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of a Mediterranean dietary pattern on plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) after 3 years of intervention and the associations with adiposity indexes in a randomized dietary trial (PREDIMED trial) with high cardiovascular risk patients. 187 subjects were randomly selected from the PREDIMED-UNAV center after they completed 3-year intervention program. Participants were following a Mediterranean-style diet with high intake of virgin olive oil or high intake of nuts, or a conventional low-fat diet. Adiposity indexes were measured at baseline and at year 3. Plasma TAC was evaluated using a commercially available colorimetric assay kit. Plasma TAC in the control, olive oil and nuts groups was 2.01+/-0.15, 3.51+/-0.14 and 3.02+/-0.14 mM Trolox, respectively after adjusting for age and sex. The differences between the Mediterranean diet and control groups were statistically significant (P<0.001). Moreover higher levels of TAC were significantly associated with a reduction in body weight after 3 years of intervention among subjects allocated to the virgin olive oil group (B=-1.306; 95% CI=-2.439 to -0.173; P=0.025, after adjusting for age, sex and baseline body mass index). Mediterranean diet, especially rich in virgin olive oil, is associated with higher levels of plasma antioxidant capacity. Plasma TAC is related to a reduction in body weight after 3 years of intervention in a high cardiovascular risk population with a Mediterranean-style diet rich in virgin olive oil.
Babio, N., M. Bulló, J. Basora, M.A. Martínez-González, J. Fernández-Ballart, F. Márquez-Sandoval, C. Molina, J. Salas-Salvadó; Nureta-PREDIMED Investigators, 2009. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of metabolic syndrome and its components. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 19(8):563-70.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The role of diet in the aetiology of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and MetS. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 808 high cardiovascular risk participants of the Reus PREDIMED Centre. MetS was defined by the updated National Cholesterol and Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. An inverse association between quartiles of adherence to the MedDiet (14-point score) and the prevalence of MetS (P for trend<0.001) was observed. After adjusting for age, sex, total energy intake, smoking status and physical activity, participants with the highest score of adherence to the MedDiet (>/=9 points) had the lowest odds ratio of having MetS (OR [95% CI] of 0.44 [0.27-0.70]) compared to those in the lowest quartile. Participants with the highest MedDiet adherence had 47 and 54% lower odds of having low HDL-c and hypertriglyceridemia MetS criteria, respectively, than those in the lowest quartile. Some components of the MedDiet, such as olive oil, legumes and red wine were associated with lower prevalence of MetS. CONCLUSION: Higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a significantly lower odds ratio of having MetS in a population with a high risk of cardiovascular disease.
Yang, J. 2009. Brazil nuts and associated health benefits: A review. LWT – Food Science and Technology.42:1573–1580.
Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between nut intakes and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. The composition of lipids, minerals, and phytochemicals, and their associated health functions in Brazil nuts are critically reviewed. The nuts have high nutritive food value containing 60–70% oil and 17% protein. Brazil nuts contain abundant dietary antioxidants, especially selenium (Se). One single Brazil nut provides 160% of the US Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of selenium – perhaps the best source of Se from plant-based foods. Brazil nuts possess phenolics and flavonoids in both free and bound forms and are rich in tocopherol, phytosterols, and squalene. These compounds’ possible beneficial effects are due to their antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, which are linked to a reduced risk for developing atherosclerosis and cance
Sabate’, J., Y. Ang, 2009. Nuts and health outcomes: new epidemiologic evidence. Am J Clin Nutr89(suppl):1643S-8S.
This article reviews recent epidemiologic evidence on nut intake and health outcomes. It focuses on studies in which nut consumption is directly assessed or when nuts are included in a dietary score or pattern. Epidemiologic studies have been remarkably consistent in showing an association between nut consumption and a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Some evidence has emerged recently to suggest health-protective benefits of nuts other than CHD. Frequent nut intake probably reduces risk of diabetes mellitus among women, but its effects on men are unknown. Evidence on the anticarcinogenic effects of nuts is somewhat limited because studies in the past 2 decades have examined only 3 tumor sites, and the benefits appear to be manifested only in women. However, the protective benefits of frequent nut consumption on gallstone diseases are observed in both sexes. Long-term nut consumption is linked with lower body weight and lower risk of obesity and weight gain. A dietary pattern or score that includes nuts is consistently related with beneficial health outcomes, and this provides an indirect evidence of the salutary benefits of nut consumption. More longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the possible effects of nuts on diseases other than CHD.
Raw, D., B. Lockwood, 2009. The health benefits of nuts. NUTRAfoods. 8(3)7-14.
Overall, nuts can belp reduce the certain risk factors associated with CVD and other chronic diseases, helping to prevent disease and promote health.
