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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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