Nut consumption and risk of hypertension in US male physicians

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and dietary factors may play an important role in its prevention. We sought to examine the association between nut consumption and incident hypertension. METHODS: Prospective cohort of 15;966 participants from the Physicians' Health Study I who were free of hypertension at baseline. Nut consumption […]

Effect of a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented With Nuts on Metabolic Syndrome Status. One-Year Results of the PREDIMED Randomized Trial

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) may reduce the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome (MetS). We compared the 1-year effect of 2 behavioral interventions to implement the MedDiet vs advice on a low-fat diet on MetS status. Methods: A total of 1224 participants were recruited from the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta […]

Alpha-linolenic acid and coronary heart disease

AIM: To summarize our present knowledge about vegetable omega-3 fatty acids. DATA SYNTHESIS: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is one of the two essential fatty acids in humans. Epidemiological studies and dietary trials strongly suggest that this fatty acid is important in relation with the pathogenesis (and prevention) of coronary heart disease. Like other n-3 fatty acids […]

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 […]

A systematic review of the effects of nuts on blood lipid profiles in humans

The inverse association of nut consumption and risk markers of coronary heart disease (lipids) has sparked the interest of the scientific and lay community. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to investigate the effects of nuts on the lipid profile. Medline and Web of Science databases were searched from the […]

Nut and seed consumption and inflammatory markers in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis

Nuts and seeds are rich in unsaturated fat and other nutrients that may reduce inflammation. Frequent nut consumption is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The authors examined associations between nut and seed consumption and C-reactive protein; interleukin-6; and fibrinogen in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. This 2000 cross-sectional analysis […]