Diagnostic accuracy of Ara h 2 for detecting peanut allergy in children.

Background: Specific IgE to Ara h 2 is a diagnostic test for peanut allergy which may reduce the need for double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC), however guidance for using Ara h 2 in place of DBPCFCs has not been validated. Objective: To prospectively evaluate 1) diagnostic accuracy of previously published Ara h 2 cutoff levels to diagnose […]

The 3-Year Effect of the Mediterranean Diet Intervention on Inflammatory Biomarkers Related to Cardiovascular Disease.

The intervention with the Mediterranean diet (MD) pattern has evidenced short-term anti-inflammatory effects, but little is known about its long-term anti-inflammatory properties at molecular level. This study aims to investigate the 3-year effect of MD interventions compared to low-fat diet (LFD) on changes on inflammatory biomarkers related to atherosclerosis in a free-living population with a […]

Is a Handful an Effective Way to Guide Nut Recommendations?

Dietary guidelines recommend consuming 30 g of nuts per day to reduce the risk of chronic disease. A 'handful' is commonly used to guide consumers. Research is lacking on how this translates into actual gram amounts. This study quantified the grams of nuts represented by different portion size measures, including a 'handful' and '30 g […]

Tree nut consumption is associated with higher sex hormone-binding globulin levels in premenopausal US women.

Low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) are associated with many diseases including hypertension, diabetes, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Walnuts increased circulating SHBG in 31 women complicated with polycystic ovarian syndrome. However, whether tree nuts increase SHBG in women in a general population is unknown. It was hypothesized in this study that consumption of tree […]

Pecan-enriched diets decrease postprandial lipid peroxidation and increase total antioxidant capacity in adults at-risk for cardiovascular disease.

Pecans are a rich source of antioxidants, but the effect of regular consumption on post-meal responses is unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of daily pecan consumption for 8 weeks on fasting and postprandial lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and tocopherols in adults at higher risk for cardiovascular disease […]

Gut Microbiota Composition is Associated with Responses to Peanut Intervention in Multiple Parameters Among Adults with Metabolic Syndrome Risk.

Scope: Peanuts are widely consumed as a meal ingredient and a snack, and are commonly considered as a healthy food based on their nutrient profile. Peanut consumption has been associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in epidemiological studies. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether consuming peanuts affects the gut microbiota in […]

The nutritional impact of replacing dietary meat with meat alternatives in the UK: A modelling analysis using nationally representative data.

Dietary patterns high in meat compromise both planetary and human health. Meat-alternatives may help facilitate meat reduction, however the nutritional implications of displacing meat with meat-alternatives does not appear to have been evaluated. Here, data from the 9th cycle of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey was used as the basis of models to assess […]

Tree nut consumption and prevalence of carotid artery plaques: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study.

Purpose. While tree nut consumption has been shown to be cardioprotective, a few studies have examined the relationship between tree nut consumption and carotid atherosclerosis. We tested the hypothesis that tree nut consumption would be inversely related with carotid atherosclerosis in adults. Methods. We cross-sectionally analyzed data from 4536 participants of the National Heart, Lung, […]

A remarkable food allergy in children: cashew nut allergy.

Objective: The prevalence of cashew nut allergy is increasing. Clinical reaction to cashew nuts may be severe, including anaphylaxis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the frequency of cashew nut sensitivity in a group of children with food allergy and the clinical features and course of cashew nut allergy. Material and methods: A retrospective chart review […]