Nut consumption and risk of heart failure in the Physicians' Health Study I
BACKGROUND: Heart failure is highly prevalent among older adults and is associated with high cost and societal burden. Although previous studies have reported beneficial effects of dietary factors on heart failure predictors; no previous study has examined whether frequent consumption of nuts is associated with a lower risk of heart failure in a large prospective […]
Mastication of almonds: effects of lipid bioaccessibility; appetite; and hormone response
BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic and clinical data indicate that nuts can be incorporated into the diet without compromising body weight. This has been attributed to strong satiety properties; increased resting energy expenditure; and limited lipid bioaccessibility. OBJECTIVE: The role of mastication was explored because of evidence that the availability of nut lipids is largely dependent on the […]
Dietary supplements and functional foods: 2 sides of a coin?
Dietary supplements are used by more than one-half of the adult US population. In contrast to pharmaceuticals; dietary supplements may be sold in the United States with little regulation other than listing of ingredients and the potential health benefits. By contrast; herbal products in Germany are carefully regulated by the same standards as drugs; and […]
Food patterns measured by factor analysis and anthropometric changes in adults
BACKGROUND: Sixty-five percent of US adults are overweight; and 31% of these adults are obese. Obesity results from weight gains over time; however; dietary determinants of weight gain remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine whether food patterns derived from exploratory factor analysis are related to anthropometric changes. We hypothesized that we would derive […]
Role of cell walls in the bioaccessibility of lipids in almond seeds
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 […]
Effects of pistachios on cardiovascular disease risk factors and potential mechanisms of action: a dose-response study
BACKGROUND: Nut consumption lowers cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Studies are lacking about the effects of pistachios; a nutrient-dense nut; on CVD risk factors; dose-response relations; and lipid-lowering mechanisms. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effects of 2 doses of pistachios; added to a lower-fat diet; on lipids and lipoproteins; apolipoprotein (apo)-defined lipoprotein subclasses; and plasma fatty acids. […]
Essential n-3 fatty acids in pregnant women and early visual acuity maturation in term infants
BACKGROUND: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is important to neural development. Whether DHA intakes are low enough in some pregnant women to impair infant development is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether DHA deficiency occurs in pregnant women and contributes to poor infant development. DESIGN: Biochemical cutoffs; dietary intakes; or developmental scores indicative of DHA deficiency […]
Brazil nuts: an effective way to improve selenium status.
BACKGROUND: Brazil nuts provide a rich natural source of selenium; yet no studies have investigated the bioavailability of selenium in humans. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of Brazil nuts in increasing selenium status in comparison with selenomethionine. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 59 New Zealand adults. Participants consumed 2 Brazil nuts thought […]
Legume and soy food intake and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the Shanghai Women's Health Study.
BACKGROUND: It has been postulated that a diet high in legumes may be beneficial for the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM). However; data linking type 2 DM risk and legume intake are limited. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine the association between legume and soy food consumption and […]
Consumption of prunes as a source of dietary fiber in men with mild hypercholesterolemia.
Forty-one free-living adult men with mild hypercholesterolemia (5.2-7.5 mmol/L) voluntarily participated in an 8-wk crossover study designed to determine the effect of prunes as a source of fiber on plasma cholesterol and on fecal output and bile acid concentration. During the prune period, subjects supplemented their usual diets with 12 prunes (100 g; 6 g dietary fiber) daily. Plasma low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly lower after the prune period (3.9 mmol/L) […]