Priority Areas for Research on the Intake; Composition; and Health Effects of Tree Nuts and Peanuts
This article summarizes the main conclusions drawn from a conference on the health effects of nut consumption and identifies priority areas for future research. Individuals with higher intakes of nuts generally have higher intakes of many beneficial dietary constituents. More information is needed on nut composition; the bioavailability of nutrients; and other bioactive constituents. Better […]
Tree Nut and Peanut Consumption in Relation to Chronic and Metabolic Diseases Including Allergy
The New and Emerging Research session highlighted the emerging understanding of both the positive and negative effects of nuts consumption on health. The limited nature of both experimental and epidemiological evidence for positive relationship(s) between nut intake and health were noted. Study inconsistency and limitations; particularly survey methodology; were explored. Recent results from epidemiologic studies […]
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 […]
Tree Nuts and Peanuts as Components of a Healthy Diet
Nuts have been part of the diet for thousands of years. In 2003; a Qualified Health Claim was approved; stating that eating 1.5 oz (42 g) of nuts per day may reduce the risk of heart disease. Usual intakes fall short of this recommendation. About one-third of Americans report consuming nuts (tree nuts or peanuts) […]
Impact of Peanuts and Tree Nuts on Body Weight and Healthy Weight Loss in Adults
Nuts (ground and tree) are rich sources of multiple nutrients and their consumption is associated with health benefits; including reduced cardiovascular disease risk. This has prompted recommendations to increase their consumption. However; they are also high in fat (albeit largely unsaturated) and are energy dense. The associations between these properties; positive energy balance; and body […]
A macadamia nut-rich diet reduces total and LDL-cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women
Epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have demonstrated that the unique fatty acid profile of nuts beneficially affects serum lipids/lipoproteins; reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Nuts are low in SFA and high in PUFA and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). Macadamia nuts are a rich source of MUFA. A randomized; crossover; controlled feeding study (5-wk diet periods) […]
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; […]