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 […]

Cardiovascular disease prevention in Eastern Europe.

During the last 30 y the region of highest premature cardiovascular mortality has shifted from the US and Finland to Central and Eastern Europe. Present male cardiovascular mortality in Latvia; Estonia; the Russian Federation; and Hungary has overtaken the maximum cardiovascular mortality reached in the US in the 1960s. This epidemic is only partially explainable […]

Tree nuts and the lipid profile: a review of clinical studies

Tree nuts have a fatty acid profile that favourably affects blood lipids and lipoproteins. They are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fatty acids and are rich sources of other nutrients. An extensive database consistently shows total and LDL cholesterol-lowering effects of diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in unsaturated […]

Diet composition and the metabolic syndrome: what is the optimal fat intake?

Two cholesterol-raising fatty acids in the diet; saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids; increase the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration. This fact justifies the recommendation of a reduced intake of cholesterol-raising fatty acids. Emerging data suggest that diets higher in unsaturated fatty acids; particularly monounsaturated fatty acids; have several advantages over high-carbohydrate intakes. This […]

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 […]

Macadamia nut consumption modulates favourably risk factors for coronary artery disease in hypercholesterolemic subjects.

Macadamia nuts are rich source of monounsaturated fats (oleic and palmitoleic acids) and contain polyphenol compounds; therefore; their consumption can be expected to impart health benefits to humans. This study was conducted to examine the effects of consuming macadamia nuts in hypercholesterolemic male individuals on plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress; coagulation and inflammation. Seventeen hypercholesterolemic […]

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 […]