The Role of Tree Nuts and Peanuts in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Multiple Potential Mechanisms

Epidemiologic and clinical trial evidence has demonstrated consistent benefits of nut and peanut consumption on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and associated risk factors. The epidemiologic studies have reported various endpoints; including fatal CHD; total CHD death; total CHD; and nonfatal myocardial infarct. A pooled analysis of 4 U.S. epidemiologic studies showed that subjects in […]

Possible Benefit of Nuts in Type 2 Diabetes

Nuts; including peanuts; are now recognized as having the potential to improve the blood lipid profile and; in cohort studies; nut consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). More recently; interest has grown in the potential value of including nuts in the diets of individuals with diabetes. Data from […]

Oxidative Stability of Tree Nut Oils

The oxidative stability of selected tree nut oils was examined. The oils of almond; Brazil nut; hazelnut; pecan; pine nut; pistachio; and walnut were extracted using two solvent extraction systems; namely; hexane and chloroform/methanol. The chloroform/methanol system afforded a higher oil yield for each tree nut type examined (pine nut had the highest oil content; […]

Fatty acid profile; tocopherol; squalene and phytosterol content of brazil; pecan; pine; pistachio and cashew nuts

Nuts contain bioactive constituents that elicit cardio-protective effects including phytosterols; tocopherols and squalene. The objective of the present study was to determine the total oil content; peroxide value; fatty acid composition and levels of tocopherols; squalene and phytosterols in oil extracted from freshly ground brazil; pecan; pine; pistachio and cashew nuts. The total oil content […]

Elemental composition and chemical characteristics of five edible nuts (almond; Brazil; pecan; macadamia and walnut) consumed in Southern Africa.

The total elemental concentrations and proximate chemical composition of five different tree nuts; almond (Prunus dulcus); Brazil (Bertholletia excelsa); pecan (Carya pecan); macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) and walnut (Juglans nigra) that are consumed in South African households were investigated. In addition; six physicochemical properties of the extracted nut oils; namely acid value; iodine value; saponification value; […]

Pecans lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in people with normal lipid levels

OBJECTIVE: To compare serum lipid profiles and dietary intakes of people with normal lipid levels who consumed pecans and those who did not consume nuts. DESIGN: Eight-week; randomized; controlled study of pecan treatment group vs control group. SUBJECT Nineteen people with normal lipid levels completed the study; 10 had been randomly assigned to the pecan […]