Pecans are known to have antioxidants; however, limited research has been carried out to analyze how pecan consumption affects cardiovascular health parameters. Two recent studies have been published in Nutrition Research and The Journal of Nutrition that explore the potential benefits of pecan consumption on heart health.
Both studies were randomized controlled trials with a portion of the participants consuming pecans as a part of their diet for 8 weeks. In both trials, it was found that the groups who consumed pecans, either as an addition to their diet or as a substitute for isocaloric foods in their diet, experienced improved postprandial blood lipids and postprandial lipid peroxidation. It was also found in one of the studies that those in the pecan consumption group saw a significant reduction in fasting cholesterol.
In conclusion, these two studies suggest that including pecans in your diet daily, can help protect against oxidative stress, improve postprandial blood lipids, and reduce fasting cholesterol in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Guarneiri, L. L., Paton, C. M., & Cooper, J. A. (2021). Pecan-enriched diets decrease postprandial lipid peroxidation and increase total antioxidant capacity in adults at-risk for cardiovascular disease. Nutrition Research, 93, 69-78.
Guarneiri, L. L., Paton, C. M., & Cooper, J. A. (2021). Pecan-Enriched Diets Alter Cholesterol Profiles and Triglycerides in Adults at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in a Randomized, Controlled Trial. The Journal of Nutrition, 151(10), 3091-3101.
Both studies were randomized controlled trials with a portion of the participants consuming pecans as a part of their diet for 8 weeks. In both trials, it was found that the groups who consumed pecans, either as an addition to their diet or as a substitute for isocaloric foods in their diet, experienced improved postprandial blood lipids and postprandial lipid peroxidation. It was also found in one of the studies that those in the pecan consumption group saw a significant reduction in fasting cholesterol.
In conclusion, these two studies suggest that including pecans in your diet daily, can help protect against oxidative stress, improve postprandial blood lipids, and reduce fasting cholesterol in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Guarneiri, L. L., Paton, C. M., & Cooper, J. A. (2021). Pecan-enriched diets decrease postprandial lipid peroxidation and increase total antioxidant capacity in adults at-risk for cardiovascular disease. Nutrition Research, 93, 69-78.
Guarneiri, L. L., Paton, C. M., & Cooper, J. A. (2021). Pecan-Enriched Diets Alter Cholesterol Profiles and Triglycerides in Adults at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in a Randomized, Controlled Trial. The Journal of Nutrition, 151(10), 3091-3101.