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GENERAL |
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Department of Nutrition, School
of Public Health, Loma Linda University, CA 92350, USA.
Perhaps one of the most unexpected
and novel findings in nutritional epidemiology in the
past 5 y has been that nut consumption seems to protect
against ischemic heart disease (IHD). Frequency and
quantity of nut consumption have been documented to
be higher in vegetarian than in nonvegetarian populations.
Nuts also constitute an important part of other plant-based
diets, such as Mediterranean and Asian diets. In a large,
prospective epidemiologic study of Seventh-day Adventists
in California, we found that frequency of nut consumption
had a substantial and highly significant inverse association
with risk of myocardial infarction and death from IHD.
The Iowa Women's Health Study also documented an association
between nut consumption and decreased risk of IHD. The
protective effect of nuts on IHD has been found in men
and women and in the elderly. Importantly, nuts have
similar associations in both vegetarians and nonvegetarians.
The protective effect of nut consumption on IHD is not
offset by increased mortality from other causes. Moreover,
frequency of nut consumption has been found to be inversely
related to all-cause mortality in several population
groups such as whites, blacks, and the elderly. Thus,
nut consumption may not only offer protection against
IHD, but also increase longevity.
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NUTS FOR YOUR HEART |
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One of the oddest findings of
nutrition research over the past decade is that walnuts,
almonds, and other nuts are good for your heart.
The first few studies showing this were written off
as "nuts" or dismissed because they were funded by the
nut industry. But now several large, independent studies
all suggest the same thing - a handful of nuts a day
might prevent a heart attack or sudden death due to
an erratic heart rhythm.
The latest plug for nuts comes from the Harvard-based
Physicians' Health Study. The 22,000 male doctors who
volunteered for this project reported how often they
ate different foods, including nuts, at the start of
the study in 1982. Over the next seventeen years, 201
of the men died when their hearts suddenly stopped beating.
Sudden death was more likely to strike men who rarely
ate nuts than those who ate nuts at least twice a week.
(Archives of Internal Medicine, June 24, 2002, pp. 1382-87.)
How could eating nuts prevent sudden death? For one
thing, many nuts, especially walnuts, are good sources
of omega-3 fatty acids. These are the same types of
unsaturated fats found in some fish. Omega-3 fatty acids
smooth out abnormal heart rhythms. Like aspirin, they
also keep blood clots from forming by making platelets
less sticky and less likely to clump.
Nuts have other nutritional virtues, too. They are rich
in arginine, an amino acid the body needs to make a
tiny molecule called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps
relax narrowed blood vessels and ease blood flow. Nuts
also contain natural vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium,
potassium, and fiber.
All of these nut nutrients may be good for the heart
- if you eat them the right way. Gobbling nuts on top
of your usual snacks and meals won't help much. At 185
calories an ounce, eating a handful of walnuts a day
without cutting back on anything else could make you
gain 10 pounds or more in the course of a year. Instead,
grab some nuts in place of chips or cookies when you
need a snack. Better yet, use nuts in place of meat
in pasta and other dishes, or add them to salads for
a healthful and tasty crunch.
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Division of Preventive Medicine,
Brigham and Women's Hospital, 900 Commonwealth Ave E,
Boston, MA 02215-1204, USA.
BACKGROUND: Dietary nut intake
has been associated with a reduced risk of coronary
heart disease mortality; however, the mechanism is unclear.
Since components of nuts may have antiarrhythmic properties,
part of the benefit may be due to a reduction in sudden
cardiac death. METHODS: We prospectively assessed whether
increasing frequency of nut consumption, as ascertained
by an abbreviated food frequency questionnaire at 12
months of follow-up, was associated with a lower risk
of sudden cardiac death and other coronary heart disease
end points among 21 454 male participants enrolled in
the US Physicians' Health Study. Participants were followed
up for an average of 17 years. RESULTS: Dietary nut
intake was associated with a significantly reduced risk
of sudden cardiac death after controlling for known
cardiac risk factors and other dietary habits (P for
trend,.01). Compared with men who rarely or never consumed
nuts, those who consumed nuts 2 or more times per week
had reduced risks of sudden cardiac death (relative
risk, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.92) and
total coronary heart disease death (relative risk, 0.70;
95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.98). In contrast, nut
intake was not associated with significantly reduced
risks of nonsudden coronary heart disease death or nonfatal
myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: These prospective
data in US male physicians suggest that the inverse
association between nut consumption and total coronary
heart disease death is primarily due to a reduction
in the risk of sudden cardiac death.
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Center for Health Research, School
of Public Health, Loma Linda University, CA 92350, USA.
In the past, many have avoided
nuts because of their high fat content. The Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, however,
recommends regular consumption of this food along with
seeds and dried beans (4-5 servings per week) as part
of a diet to control hypertension. Nuts are nutrient-dense
and most of their fat is unsaturated. They are also
perhaps the best natural source of vitamin E and are
relatively concentrated repositories of dietary fiber,
magnesium, potassium, and arginine, the dietary precursor
of nitric oxide. Human feeding studies have demonstrated
reductions of 8-12% in low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol when almonds and walnuts are substituted
for more traditional fats. Other studies show that macadamias
and hazelnuts appear at least as beneficial as fats
in commonly recommended diets. Whether consuming modest
quantities of nuts daily may promote weight gain is
not known with certainty, but preliminary data suggest
that this is unlikely. Four of the best and largest
cohort studies in nutritional epidemiology have now
reported that eating nuts frequently is associated with
a decreased risk of coronary heart disease of the order
of 30-50%. The findings are very consistent in subgroup
analyses and unlikely to be due to confounding. Possible
mechanisms include reduction in LDL cholesterol, the
antioxidant actions of vitamin E, and the effects on
the endothelium and platelet function of higher levels
of nitric oxide. Although nuts may account for a relatively
small percentage of dietary calories, the potential
interacting effects of these factors on disease risk
may be considerable.
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PEANUTS |
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Purdue University, Department of
Foods and Nutrition, West Lafayette, Indiana.
BACKGROUND: Diets containing nuts
reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This
has primarily been attributed to their fatty acid composition,
but other constituents may also contribute. Peanuts,
the most widely consumed 'nut' (actually a legume),
are a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA),
magnesium and folate, but their effects on CVD risk
factors are poorly characterized. OBJECTIVE: This study
determined the effects of chronic peanut consumption
on diet composition as well as serum lipids, magnesium
and homocysteine concentrations in free-living subjects
under different conditions of peanut intake. DESIGN:
Fifteen normolipidemic adults participated in a 30-week
cross-over intervention. Subjects were provided 500
(+136) kcal as peanuts during an eight-week free feeding
(FF) diet. The same amount of peanuts was added during
a three-week addition (ADD) diet or replaced an equal
amount of other fats in the diet during an eight-week
substitution (SUB) diet. RESULTS: Energy intake from
fat was increased through greater intake of MUFA and
polyunsaturated fatty acids, while saturated fatty acid
intake remained relatively stable under all conditions.
Triacylglycerol (TAG) was reduced by 24% during ADD
(p < 0.05), by 17% during SUB (p < 0.05) and by 14%
during four-weeks of FF, but then rebounded to baseline
by week 8. Dietary fiber, magnesium, folate, alpha tocopherol,
copper and arginine increased during all treatments
(p < 0.05). Serum magnesium increased in 13 of 15 subjects
during FF (p < 0.05). No changes were found in total
plasma homocysteine concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Regular
peanut consumption lowers serum TAG, augments consumption
of nutrients associated with reduced CVD risk and increases
serum magnesium concentration.
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Department of Nutrition, Harvard
School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston,
MA
CONTEXT: Nuts are high in unsaturated
(polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) fat and other
nutrients that may improve glucose and insulin homeostasis.
OBJECTIVE: To examine prospectively the relationship
between nut consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort
study of 83 818 women from 11 states in the Nurses'
Health Study. The women were aged 34 to 59 years, had
no history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer,
completed a validated dietary questionnaire at baseline
in 1980, and were followed up for 16 years. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURE: Incident cases of type 2 diabetes. RESULTS:
We documented 3206 new cases of type 2 diabetes. Nut
consumption was inversely associated with risk of type
2 diabetes after adjustment for age, body mass index
(BMI), family history of diabetes, physical activity,
smoking, alcohol use, and total energy intake. The multivariate
relative risks (RRs) across categories of nut consumption
(never/almost never, (once/week, 1-4 times/week, and
) or =5 times/week) for a 28-g (1 oz) serving size were
1.0, 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-1.00),
0.84 (0.95% CI, 0.76-0.93), and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.60-0.89)
(P for trend <.001). Further adjustment for intakes
of dietary fats, cereal fiber, and other dietary factors
did not appreciably change the results. The inverse
association persisted within strata defined by levels
of BMI, smoking, alcohol use, and other diabetes risk
factors. Consumption of peanut butter was also inversely
associated with type 2 diabetes. The multivariate RR
was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.68-0.91; P for trend <.001) in women
consuming peanut butter 5 times or more a week (equivalent
to > or =140 g [5 oz] of peanuts/week) compared with
those who never/almost never ate peanut butter. CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings suggest potential benefits of higher nut
and peanut butter consumption in lowering risk of type
2 diabetes in women. To avoid increasing caloric intake,
regular nut consumption can be recommended as a replacement
for consumption of refined grain products or red or
processed meats.
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WALNUTS |
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Department of Medicine, Thomas
Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa 19107, USA.
Serum components, such as lipoproteins,
coagulation factors (factor VII, tissue plasminogen
activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1),
fibrinogen), and homocysteine have been associated with
cardiovascular disease. Dietary intervention with a
low-fat, low-cholesterol diet has favorably influenced
cardiovascular disease and certain food, specifically
the consumption of nuts, has been associated with reduced
cardiovascular risks. The effects of walnuts, as part
of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, on serum cardiovascular
risk factors were determined. Sixty-seven (67) outpatients
with borderline high total cholesterol following a low-fat,
low-cholesterol diet for six weeks before being randomly
assigned to continue the diet or have 64 grams/day of
walnuts in conjunction with the diet. After six weeks,
the patients' diets were switched. Therefore, all patients
consumed 64 grams/day of walnuts for six weeks during
part of the trial as part of a low-fat, low cholesterol
diet. Serum lipids demonstrated a significant reduction
in triacyglycerols and favorable trend with decreases
in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol, and a slight increase in high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) cholesterol. No statistical effects on homocysteine
or the coagulation factors were observed. However, there
was a slight favorable trend for tPA and PAI-1. This
study demonstrated that walnuts, when consumed as part
of a low fat, low-cholesterol diet, have a beneficial
effect on serum cardiovascular risk factors. However,
these changes may not explain all of the beneficial
effects that walnut consumption has on cardiovascular
disease.
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ALMONDS |
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Pennington Biomedical Research
Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70808,
USA.
BACKGROUND: Nuts appear to have
cardiovascular benefits but their effect in diabetic
patients is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to
assess effects of almond-enriched diets on insulin sensitivity
and lipids in patients with normoglycemia or type 2
diabetes. DESIGN: Study 1 assessed the effect of almonds
on insulin sensitivity in 20 free-living healthy volunteers
who received 100 g almonds/d for 4 wk. Study 2 was a
randomized crossover study that compared 4 diets in
30 volunteers with type 2 diabetes: 1) high-fat, high-almond
(HFA; 37% total fat, 10% from almonds); 2) low-fat,
high-almond (LFA; 25% total fat, 10% from almonds);
3) high-fat control (HFC; 37% total fat, 10% from olive
or canola oil); and 4) low-fat control (LFC; 25% total
fat, 10% from olive or canola oil). After each 4-wk
diet, serum lipids and oral glucose tolerance were measured.
RESULTS: In study 1, almond consumption did not change
insulin sensitivity significantly, although body weight
increased and total and LDL cholesterol decreased by
21% and 29%, respectively (P < 0.05). In study 2, total
cholesterol was lowest with the HFA diet (4.46 +/- 0.14,
4.52 +/- 0.14, 4.63 +/- 0.14, and 4.63 +/- 0.14 mmol/L
with the HFA, HFC, LFA, and LFC diets, respectively;
P = 0.0004 for fat level). HDL cholesterol was significantly
lower with the almond diets (P = 0.002); however, no
significant effect of fat source on LDL:HDL was observed.
Glycemia was unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: Almond-enriched
diets do not alter insulin sensitivity in healthy adults
or glycemia in patients with diabetes. Almonds had beneficial
effects on serum lipids in healthy adults and produced
changes similar to high monounsaturated fat oils in
diabetic patients.
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Purdue University, Department of
Foods and Nutrition, West-Lafayette, Indiana 47907,
USA.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the
effects of chronic peanut consumption on energy balance
and hedonics. DESIGN: Thirty-week, cross-over, intervention
study. Participants were provided 2113+/-494 kJ/day
(505+/-118 kcal/day) as peanuts for 8 weeks with no
dietary guidance (free feeding-FF), 3 weeks with instructions
to add peanuts to their customary diet (addition-ADD)
and 8 weeks where peanuts replaced an equal amount of
other fats in the diet (substitution-SUB). SUBJECTS:
Fifteen, healthy, normal-weight (BMI of 23.3+/-1.8)
adults, aged 33+/-9 y. MEASUREMENTS: Dietary intake,
appetitive indices, energy expenditure, body weight
and hedonics. RESULTS: During FF, peanut consumption
elicited a strong compensatory dietary response (ie
subjects compensated for 66% of the energy provided
by the nuts) and body weight gain (1.0 kg) was significantly
lower than predicted (3.6 kg; P<0.01). When customary
dietary fat was replaced with the energy from peanuts,
energy intake, as well as body weight, were maintained
precisely. Participants were unaware that body weight
was a research focus. Resting energy expenditure was
increased by 11% after regular peanut consumption for
19 weeks (P<0.01). Chronic consumption of peanuts did
not lead to a decline in pleasantness or hunger ratings
for peanuts nor did it lead to any hedonic shift for
selected snack foods with other taste qualities during
any of the three treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Despite being
energy dense, peanuts have a high satiety value and
chronic ingestion evokes strong dietary compensation
and little change in energy balance.
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PECANS |
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Department of Nutrition, School
of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda,
California, USA
Frequent consumption of nuts is
associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
We investigated the effect of pecans rich in monounsaturated
fat as an alternative to the Step 1 diet in modifying
serum lipids and lipoproteins in men and women with
normal to moderately high serum cholesterol. In a single-blind,
randomized, controlled, crossover feeding study, we
assigned 23 subjects (mean age: 38 y; 9 women, 14 men)
to follow two diets, each for 4 wk: a Step I diet and
a pecan-enriched diet (accomplished by proportionately
reducing all food items in a Step I diet by one fifth
for a 20% isoenergetic replacement with pecans). The
percentage of energy from fat in the two diets was 28.3
and 39.6%, respectively. Both diets improved the lipid
profile; however, the pecan-enriched diet decreased
both serum total and LDL cholesterol by 0.32 mmol/L
(6.7 and 10.4%, respectively) and triglyceride by 0.14
mmol/L (11.1%) beyond the Step I diet, while increasing
HDL cholesterol by 0.06 mmol/L (2.5 mg/dL). Serum apolipoprotein
B and lipoprotein(a) decreased by 11.6 and 11.1%, respectively,
and apolipoprotein A1 increased by 2.2% when subjects
consumed the pecan compared with the Step I diet. These
differences were all significant (P < 0.05). A 20% isoenergetic
replacement of a Step I diet with pecans favorably altered
the serum lipid profile beyond the Step I diet, without
increasing body weight. Nuts such as pecans that are
rich in monounsaturated fat may therefore be recommended
as part of prescribed cholesterol-lowering diet of patients
or habitual diet of healthy individuals.
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Department of Family and Consumer
Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003,
USA.
OBJECTIVE: To compare serum lipid
profiles and dietary intakes of people with normal lipid
levels who consumed pecans and those who did not consume
nuts. DESIGN: Eight-week, randomized, controlled study
of pecan treatment group vs control group. SUBJECT:
Nineteen people with normal lipid levels completed the
study; 10 had been randomly assigned to the pecan treatment
group (7 women, 3 men, mean age = 45 +/- 10 years) and
9 to the control group (8 women, 1 man, mean age = 37
+/- 12 years). INTERVENTION: The pecan treatment group
consumed 68 g pecans per day for 8 weeks plus self-selected
diets. The pecans contributed 459 kcal and 44 g fat
daily. The control group avoided nuts and consumed self-selected
diets. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total serum cholesterol,
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and total triglyceride
levels were measured at the time of entrance to the
study (baseline), week 4, and week 8. Computer analyses
were done on five 3-day food records. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:
Comparisons were made using analysis of variance or
paired t test. RESULTS: LDL-C was lowered in the pecan
treatment group from 2.61 +/- 0.49 mmol/L at baseline
to 2.35 +/- 0.49 at week 4 (P < .05) and to 2.46 +/-
0.59 at week 8 (P < .05). At week 8, total cholesterol
and HDL-C in the pecan treatment group were significantly
lower (P < .05) than in the control group (total cholesterol:
4.22 +/- 0.83 vs 5.02 +/- 0.54 mmol/L; HDL-C: 1.37 +/-
0.23 vs 1.47 +/- 0.34 mmol/L). Dietary fat, monounsaturated
fat, polyunsaturated fat, insoluble fiber, magnesium,
and energy were significantly higher in the pecan treatment
group than in the control group. Body mass indexes and
body weights were unchanged in both groups. APPLICATIONS:
Pecans can be included in a healthful diet when energy
intake and potential weight gain are addressed.
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BRAZIL NUTS |
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Brazil nuts have been classified
as the foodstuffs that contain the highest level of
unadulterated selenium, an essential trace element
that appears to prevent cancer.
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Department of Chemistry, University
of Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0172, USA.
Brazil nuts have been classified
as the foodstuffs that contain the highest level of
unadulterated selenium, an essential trace element that
appears to prevent cancer. To date, characterization
of the selenium species in brazil nuts has not yet been
investigated. In this work, various sample preparation
approaches, including microwave extractions and enzymatic
treatments, are examined with the goal of species preservation
and subsequent selenium speciation; of these approaches,
an enzymatic treatment with Proteinase K proved most
effective. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
separation strategies and inductively coupled plasma
mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection schemes will also
be presented. Extracts are evaluated against available
standards for the commercially obtainable seleno-amino
acids, selenomethionine (SeMet), selenoethionine (SeEt),
and selenocystine (SeCys); selenomethionine was demonstrated
to be the most abundant of these seleno-amino acids.
Further characterization of unidentified selenium-containing
peaks is attempted by the employment of several procedures,
including electrospray-mass spectrometry (ES-MS). A
peptide structure was identified; however, this was
considered a tentative proposal due to the large background
produced by the extremely complicated brazil nut matrix.
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Department of Human Nutrition,
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
The aims of the present study
were (1) to compare three methods of assessment of dietary
Se intake, i.e. chemical analysis of duplicate diets,
diet records and a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ)
designed specifically for Se, and (2) to determine dietary
Se intakes of residents of Otago, New Zealand. The FFQ
was completed by 110 free-living adults. Diet records
(3 d) and duplicate diet collections were carried out
by forty-three of these subjects chosen on the basis
of low blood Se concentration, and during a period when
consumption of the high-Se foods fish, kidney, liver
and Brazil nuts was discouraged. Mean Se intakes were
similar for duplicate diet analysis (29 (SD 13) micrograms/d)
and diet record assessments (28 (SD 15) micrograms/d).
Estimates of intakes from the FFQ for the subgroup of
forty-three subjects were higher (51 (SD 26) micrograms/d)
than those from duplicate diets and diet records. Values
from duplicate diet analysis and diet record assessments
were strongly correlated (r 0.7, P = 0.0001), but difference
plots indicated a lack of agreement between the two
methods. Thus, diet record assessment was not adequate
for predicting dietary Se intakes of individuals. Significant
correlations were found for relationships between Se
intake from duplicate diets (microgram/kg body weight
per d) and plasma Se, Se intake from diet records (microgram/d
and microgram/kg body weight per d) and plasma Se; and
Se intake from the FFQ and whole-blood Se. Se intakes
from duplicate diets and diet records were similar to
those reported previously for New Zealanders, but lower
than the recommended intakes in the USA (National Research
Council, 1989), Australia (Truswell et al. 1990) and
the UK (Department of Health, 1991) and the World Health
Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization/International
Atomic Energy Agency (1996) normative requirement.
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HAZELNUTS |
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Allergy Clinic, Department 7551,
National University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100
Copenhagen, Denmark.
BACKGROUND: Allergy to hazelnuts
is a common example of birch pollen related food allergy.
Symptoms upon ingestion are often confined to the mouth
and throat, but severe systemic reactions have been
described in some patients. The aim of the study was
to evaluate the reduction in allergenicity by roasting
of the nuts. METHODS: Double-blind, placebo-controlled
food challenges (DBPCFC) with roasted hazelnuts (140
degrees C, 40 min) were performed in 17 birch pollen
allergic patients with DBPCFC-confirmed food allergy
to raw hazelnuts. The effect of roasting was further
evaluated by skin prick test (SPT), histamine release
(HR), measurement of specific IgE, and IgE-inhibition
experiments. RESULTS: In 5/17 patients the DBPCFC with
the roasted nuts were positive. The symptoms were generally
mild and included OAS (oral allergy syndrome) in all
patients. Roasting of the nuts significantly reduced
the allergenic activity evaluated by SPT, HR, specific
IgE, and IgE-inhibition. Immunoblotting experiments
with recombinant hazelnut allergens showed sensitization
against Cor a 1.04 in 16/17 patients and against Cor
a 2 in 7/17 patients. None of the patients were sensitized
to Cor a 8. Challenge-positive patients did not differ
from the rest in IgE-binding pattern. CONCLUSIONS: All
the applied methods indicated that roasting of hazelnuts
reduces the allergenicity, but since 5/17 birch pollen
allergic patients were DBPCFC-positive to the roasted
nuts, ingestion of roasted hazelnuts or products containing
roasted hazelnuts can not be considered safe for a number
of hazelnut allergic consumers. For patients with a
history of severe allergic symptoms upon ingestion of
hazelnuts, thorough and conscientious food labelling
of hazelnuts and hazelnut residues is essential.
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Center for Health Research, School
of Public Health, Loma Linda University, CA 92350, USA.
In the past, many have avoided
nuts because of their high fat content. The Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, however,
recommends regular consumption of this food along with
seeds and dried beans (4-5 servings per week) as part
of a diet to control hypertension. Nuts are nutrient-dense
and most of their fat is unsaturated. They are also
perhaps the best natural source of vitamin E and are
relatively concentrated repositories of dietary fiber,
magnesium, potassium, and arginine, the dietary precursor
of nitric oxide. Human feeding studies have demonstrated
reductions of 8-12% in low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol when almonds and walnuts are substituted
for more traditional fats. Other studies show that macadamias
and hazelnuts appear at least as beneficial as fats
in commonly recommended diets. Whether consuming modest
quantities of nuts daily may promote weight gain is
not known with certainty, but preliminary data suggest
that this is unlikely. Four of the best and largest
cohort studies in nutritional epidemiology have now
reported that eating nuts frequently is associated with
a decreased risk of coronary heart disease of the order
of 30-50%. The findings are very consistent in subgroup
analyses and unlikely to be due to confounding. Possible
mechanisms include reduction in LDL cholesterol, the
antioxidant actions of vitamin E, and the effects on
the endothelium and platelet function of higher levels
of nitric oxide. Although nuts may account for a relatively
small percentage of dietary calories, the potential
interacting effects of these factors on disease risk
may be considerable.
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PISTACHIOS |
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National Food Administration, Uppsala,
Sweden.
To estimate the intake of some
mycotoxins from food in Sweden, approximately 600 samples
were collected and analysed for aflatoxins, ochratoxin
A, patulin and trichothecenes. Intakes were calculated
for average and high consumers among adults and children
and compared with the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of
the respective toxin. Mycotoxin levels in the food samples
were generally below the European/national maximum limits.
However, high levels of aflatoxins were found in some
samples of Brazil nuts and pistachios. The intake of
ochratoxin A, patulin and trichothecenes was found to
be below the temporary, TDI values (tTDI) proposed for
these toxins by international expert groups, although
the intake of trichothecenes (expressed as T-2 toxin
equivalents) in children with a high consumption of
cereals was close to the tTDI for T-2 toxin. Since there
is to date no established numerical tTDI for aflatoxins,
such a value was estimated for use within the project.
The calculated intake of aflatoxins in high consumers
exceeded this tTDI by a factor of two. In conclusion,
the exposure to mycotoxins in Sweden did not generally,
give rise to any major health concerns in the present
study. However, the high levels of aflatoxins in certain
commodities emphasize the need for preventive measures
and improved control of toxin levels in these food items.
Furthermore, the need for regulatory levels for trichothecenes
in cereal products should be evaluated.
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MACADAMIA |
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Nutrition & Dietetics, School of
Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle,
Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
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 and after treatment. Plasma
MUFA 16:1(n-7), 18:1(n-7) and 20:1(n-9) were elevated
after intervention with macadamia nuts. Plasma (n-6)
and (n-3) PUFA concentrations were unaffected by macadamia
nut consumption. Plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
concentrations decreased by 3.0 and 5.3%, respectively,
and HDL cholesterol levels increased by 7.9% in hypercholesterolemic
men after macadamia nut consumption. Plasma triglyceride
and homocysteine concentrations were not affected by
treatment. Macadamia nut consumption was associated
with a significant increase in the relative intake of
MUFA and a reduced relative intake of saturated fatty
acids and PUFA. This study demonstrates that macadamia
nut consumption as part of a healthy diet favorably
modifies the plasma lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic
men despite their diet being high in fat.
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Department of Medicine, John A.
Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa,
Honolulu 96817, USA
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have
identified potential beneficial effects of eating nuts,
most of which have substantial amounts of monounsaturated
fats. Macadamia nuts are 75% fat by weight, 80% of which
is monounsaturated. OBJECTIVE: To examine variations
in serum lipid levels in response to a high-monounsaturated
fat diet based on macadamia nuts. METHODS: A randomized
crossover trial of three 30-day diets was conducted
in 30 volunteers aged 18 to 53 years from a free-living
population. Each was fed a "typical American" diet high
in saturated fat (37% energy from fat); an American
Heart Association Step 1 diet (30% energy from fat);
and a macadamia nut-based monounsaturated fat diet (37%
energy from fat) in random order. Serum total cholesterol,
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride
levels were measured. RESULTS: Mean total cholesterol
level after the typical American diet was 5.20 mmol/L
(201 mg/dL). After the Step 1 diet and the macadamia
nut diet, total cholesterol level was 4.99 mmol/L (193
mg/dL) and 4.95 mmol/L (191 mg/dL), respectively. Low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol level was 3.37 mmol/L (130 mg/dL)
(typical diet), 3.21 mmol/L (124 mg/dL) (Step 1 diet),
and 3.22 mmol/L (125 mg/dL) (macadamia nut diet). High-density
lipoprotein cholesterol level was 1.43 mmol/L (55 mg/dL)
(typical), 1.34 mmol/L (52 mg/dL) (Step 1), and 1.37
mmol/L (53 mg/dL) (macadamia nut). Lipid values after
the Step 1 and macadamia nut diets were significantly
different from those after the typical diet (P<.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The macadamia nut-based diet high in monounsaturated
fat and the moderately low-fat diet both had potentially
beneficial effects on cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol levels when compared with a typical American
diet.
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CASHEW |
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Department of Allergy, PUP Allergy
Diagnosis Centre, Peking.
Cashew nut hypersensitivity can
cause severe reactions even life threatening. In the
past few years, there are more cases of cashew nut allergy
than before in Beijing. Thirty patients with cashew
nut allergy were analyzed in this paper. Case history,
skin test, specific IgE and oral blinded challenge were
used in the diagnosis.
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SEEDS (pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds) |
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Urologische Klinik, Zentralkrankenhaus,
St.-Jurgen-Str., 28205 Bremen. Dreikorn@Uni-Bremen.de
Despite its popularity as a medication
in various European countries or as a nutritional supplement
in the United States, the role of plant extracts for
the treatment of LUTS due to BPH remains controversial.
Only a few randomized clinical trials that meet standard
criteria of evidence-based medicine but with relatively
short follow-up times and some meta-analyses mainly
regarding Serenoa repens and Pygeum Africanum as well
as more recent studies on pumpkin seeds have shown clinical
effects and good tolerability. To better judge the therapeutic
potential of these plant extracts, additional randomized
placebo-controlled clinical trials with sufficient follow-up
are needed.
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Department of Parasitology, Faculty
of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
The effect of water extracts of
areca nut and pumpkin seeds in the treatment of puppies
experimental infected with heterophyiasis gave promising
results. Puppies were infected through feeding on the
muscles of Mugil sp. fish containing the encysted metacercariae
of H. heterophyes. Decoctions of pumpkin seeds and areca
nut were administered orally 2 weeks after the start
of infection as indicated by positive stool examinations.
The effect was evaluated by stool examination for eggs,
and by autopsy for worms in the intestines. A combined
extracts of areca nut and pumpkin seeds gave an excellent
result than when given either extract alone.
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Department of Food Science, Faculty
of Agriculture, Minia University, El-Minia, Egypt.
Pumpkin seed products (raw, roasted,
autoclaved, germinated, fermented, pumpkin protein concentrate
and pumpkin protein isolate) were incorporated into
wheat flour to produce blends with protein levels of
15, 17, 19 and 21%. Dough properties were evaluated
by a farinograph; loaves of breads were evaluated by
a taste panel for crust color, crumb color, crumb texture,
flavor, and overall quality. Results indicated that
pumpkin seed products can be added to wheat flour up
to a 17% protein level for raw, roasted and autoclaved
pumpkin meal, 19% level for germinated, fermented and
pumpkin protein concentrate and 21% level for pumpkin
protein isolate without a detrimental effect on dough
or loaf quality. On the other hand, the addition of
pumpkin seed proteins resulted in increasing protein,
lysine and mineral contents compared to the control.
While lysine and tryptophan were the first and second
limiting amino acids in the control bread, tryptophan
and lysine were the first and second limiting amino
acids for raw, roasted, autoclaved, germinated and fermented
pumpkin meal; valine and lysine and valine and total
sulfur amino acids were the first and second limiting
amino acids for pumpkin protein concentrate and isolate,
respectively. In vitro protein digestibility improved
when the pumpkin seed proteins were added.
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Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital,
Tongji Medical University, Wuhan.
Pumpkin seeds were prepared into
oil n-butyle alcohol and ether extracts. The effects
of the three extracts on the urodynamics of rabbits
were observed. It was concluded that the oil preparation
could remarkably reduce the bladder pressure, increase
the bladder compliance, reduce the urethral pressure.
Other two kinds of preparations had no effect in this
experimental. The mechanisms of the effect of oil preparation
on the urodynamics and the prospect of clinical use
was discussed.
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We investigated the effect of
pumpkin-seed supplementation on oxalcrystalluria and
urinary composition in 20 boys age 2-7 yr from a hyperendemic
area of Ubol province in Thailand. The experiment had
four periods: control (before treatment), oxalate supplementation
5mg X kg-1 body wt X day-1, pumpkin-seed or orthophosphate
supplementation 60 mg X kg body wt-1 X day-1, and posttreatment.
Causal morning and 24-h urines were collected analyzed
for crystalluria, pH, calcium, phosphorous, oxalate,
creatinine, sodium, potassium, citrate glycosaminoglycans,
and pyrophosphate. The results demonstrated that the
longer the supplementation period of pumpkin seeds,
the better were the results. Pumpkin seeds lowered calcium-oxalate
crystal occurrence and calcium level but increased phosphorus,
pyrophosphate, glycosaminoglycans, and potassium values
in urine as compared with orthophosphate supplementation.
Pumpkin seeds provide high phosphorus levels and can
be used as a potential agent in lowering the risk of
bladder-stone disease.
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In January and February 1974,
32 adults (20 males and 12 females) and a 13-year-old
girl with taeniasis saginata were treated with the mixture
of boiled areca nuts and pumpkin seeds at Mastoban,
Jen-ai District, Nantou County, Taiwan. A total of 48
worms including 42 scolices were recovered from 29 cases.
Side-effects were observed in 4 cases including 3 with
complaints of dizziness, tinnitus, nausea and vomiting,
and one with coma and abdominal pain. Mixtures of 75-150
g areca nuts and 50-100 g pumpkin seeds were judged
effective and safe.
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Texas A & M University, College
of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Small Animal,
Medicine and Surgery, College Station, TX 77843-4474,
USA. crees@cvm.tamu.edu
This prospective study involved
supplementing 18 normal dogs with flax seed (FLX) and
sunflower seed (SUN) and evaluating their effects on
skin and hair coat condition scores and serum polyunsaturated
fatty acids (PUFA) concentrations. Skin and hair coat
were evaluated in a double-blinded fashion using a numeric
scoring system and serum PUFA concentrations were determined.
Our hypothesis was that changes in serum PUFA concentrations
are associated with improvements in skin and hair coat
and that serum PUFA would provide an objective method
for making dietary fatty acid supplement recommendations.
Although a numerical improvement was found in hair coat
quality in both groups, this improvement was not sustained
beyond 28 days. The relative per cent of 18:3n-3 concentrations
in serum phospholipids increased in the FLX treated
dogs but these concentrations remained unchanged in
the SUN treated dogs. Also, elevations in relative per
cent of 18:2n-6 concentrations in serum phospholipids
were seen in the FLX group. The ratio of serum polyunsaturated
to saturated fatty acids also showed a transient increase.
These increases preceded the peak skin condition score
peak value by approximately 14 days. It was concluded
that a 1-month supplementation with either flax seed
or sunflower seed in dogs provides temporary improvement
in skin and hair coat. These changes appeared to be
associated with increased serum 18 carbon PUFA.
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Department of Chemical Technology,
University College of Science and Technology, Calcutta,
India.
This study investigated the nutritional
effect of sunflower seed protein fraction (SSPF) extracted
with isopropanol on growth, plasma and tissue lipid
profile, protein content and erythrocyte membrane lipid
profile of rats. Dehulled sunflower seeds were extracted
with isopropanol at 50 +/- 1 degree C resulting in a
protein fraction (71.5%) with low residual chlorogenic
acid (0.07%) and fiber (3.3%) contents. Rats fed the
sunflower seed protein fraction had a similar body weight
gain and food efficiency ratios in comparison to those
fed casein. Rats fed SSPF in contrast had a significantly
higher growth and food efficiency ratio than the rats
fed sunflower meal (SM), extracted with hexane. However,
dietary proteins exerted a separate effect on plasma
total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol,
low density lipoprotein to high density lipoprotein
cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) ratio and triglyceride content.
Sunflower seed protein fraction resulted in a significant
decrease in plasma cholesterol (p < 0.05) and LDL-cholesterol
(p < 0.02) levels compared to the casein fed rats. Membrane
phospholipid profile also showed a marked variation
with the type of dietary protein. Rats fed SSPF and
SM did not show much variation in plasma lipids, plasma
proteins, liver and brain lipids and membrane phospholipid
concentrations. Protein content, liver and brain lipid
profile of the groups fed SSPF and casein were comparable,
suggesting that the nutritional value of SSPF is better
than SM and equivalent to that of casein.
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Departamento de Produccion Animal,
Universidad Politecnica, Madrid, Spain.
1. Apparent MEn and oil digestibility
of hulled sunflower seed (SFS) and the products derived
from the oil extraction process: press extracted SFS
(PESFS), sunflower seed meal (SFSM), and press and solvent
oils (PO and SO) were determined with 198 cockerels.
Recombined products (mix of meal and oil) were also
evaluated to study the effect of the 2 consecutive oil
extraction steps. Each foodstuff was included in a basal
diet, according to the proportions resulting from processing,
at 100, 200, and 300 g SFS/kg. 2. Dietary energy value
and digestible fat content were linearly related to
rate of inclusion of test ingredients. Extrapolation
values for AMEn (MJ/kg DM) were: SFS, 16.20; PESFS,
9.46; SFSM, 7.62. A decreasing quadratic trend was also
found in the AMEn of PESFS, with interpolation values
ranging from 11.77 to 9.33 MJ/kg DM between 70 and 210
g/kg DM of inclusion. No differences were observed between
PO and SO. The AMEn of of sunflower oil, calculated
from its digestibility, was 33.70 MJ/kg DM. 3. The oil
extraction process affected the nutritional value of
sunflower products. Recombined materials showed greater
values than original foodstuffs: R-SFS, 17.47; R-PESFS,
11.49 MJ/kg DM. The increase in oil digestibility (from
0.814 to 0.862 g/kg DM in SFS; from 0.778 to 0.892 in
PESFS) accounted for most of the increase observed in
AMEn values. 4. As the form in which oil is incorporated
in diets (released or within SFS or PESFS) affects the
utilisation of sunflower products, their nutritional
value is less than maximal and should not be calculated
from their ingredients. Solvent oil seems to be the
less available fraction of sunflower oil within SFS
as the effect of the 2nd extraction proved to be greater
than that of the previous press extraction.
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Institute of Physics, National
Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk.
In the present study, the effect
of a melanin-containing phytosorbent, "Victoria," on
mercury accumulation in rabbits' tissues was studied.
This phytosorbent is derived from black sunflower seed
husks. Domestic rabbits were administered either one
single nontoxic low-level dose of mercuric chloride
(i.e., 50 microg/1 kg body weight [control group]) or
combinations of mercury and the phytosorbent "Victoria"
(i.e., experimental group). Mercury and phytosorbent
were administered per os daily for 12 d. Mercury in
tissues was determined by cold-vapor atomic absorption
spectroscopy. Mercury in kidney and muscle of the experiment
group was, on average, 25.8 and 4.7 times less, respectively,
than in the control group. The authors concluded that
the phytosorbent prevented accumulation of mercury in
the kidney and muscle tissues and exerted a protective
effect against mercury toxicity.
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Department of Allergy, PUP Allergy
Diagnosis Centre, Peking.
Cashew nut hypersensitivity can
cause severe reactions even life threatening. In the
past few years, there are more cases of cashew nut allergy
than before in Beijing. Thirty patients with cashew
nut allergy were analyzed in this paper. Case history,
skin test, specific IgE and oral blinded challenge were
used in the diagnosis.
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