Almond consumption reduces oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in male smokers.

Smoking increases the risk of several chronic diseases associated with elevated oxidative stress status. Almonds are a good source of antioxidant nutrients and may diminish smoking-related biomarkers of oxidative stress. We investigated whether almond consumption decreases biomarkers of oxidative stress in young male smokers. We conducted a randomized; crossover clinical trial with 60 healthy male […]

2005. A nutritional intervention promoting the Mediterranean food pattern is associated with a decrease in circulating oxidized LDL particles in healthy women from the Quebec City metropolitan area.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a nutritional intervention promoting the Mediterranean food pattern under free-living conditions on circulating oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) in a group of 71 healthy women from the Quebec City metropolitan area. The 12-wk nutritional intervention consisted of 2 courses on nutrition and 7 individual sessions […]

Effect of diets enriched in almonds on insulin action and serum lipids in adults with normal glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Nuts appear to have cardiovascular benefits but their effect in diabetic patients is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess effects of almond-enriched diets on insulin sensitivity and lipids in patients with normoglycemia or type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: Study 1 assessed the effect of almonds on insulin sensitivity in 20 free-living healthy volunteers who […]

Walnuts lower serum cholesterol in Japanese men and women in Japan.

Recent studies have shown that incorporating moderate quantities of walnuts into the recommended cholesterol-lowering diet in the U.S. decreased serum concentrations of total cholesterol in normal American men. To explore whether walnut consumption would also prove effective as part of the Japanese diet; we studied the effects of walnut consumption on serum lipids and blood […]

Almonds decrease postprandial glycemia; insulinemia; and oxidative damage in healthy individuals.

Strategies that decrease postprandial glucose excursions; including digestive enzyme inhibition; and low glycemic index diets result in lower diabetes incidence and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk; possibly through lower postprandial oxidative damage to lipids and proteins. We therefore assessed the effect of decreasing postprandial glucose excursions on measures of oxidative damage. Fifteen healthy subjects ate […]

Macadamia nut consumption lowers plasma cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic men.

This study was conducted to assess the cholesterol-lowering potential of macadamia nuts. Seventeen hypercholesterolemic men (mean age 54 y) were given macadamia nuts (40-90 g/d); equivalent to 15% energy intake; for 4 wk. Plasma total cholesterol; LDL cholesterol; HDL cholesterol; triglycerides and homocysteine concentrations and the fatty acid composition of plasma lipids were determined before […]

A systematic screening of total antioxidants in dietary plants.

A predominantly plant-based diet reduces the risk for development of several chronic diseases. It is often assumed that antioxidants contribute to this protection; but results from intervention trials with single antioxidants administered as supplements quite consistently do not support any benefit. Because dietary plants contain several hundred different antioxidants; it would be useful to know […]