(31-03-11) Pecans promote heart health, lower cholesterol levels

by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) The health benefits offered by pecans are greater than
previously believed, according to a new study published in The Journal of
Nutrition. Researchers from Loma Linda University (LLU) in California have
identified a host of beneficial antioxidants found in pecans that benefit the
heart, lower bad cholesterol levels, and protect against disease-causing
inflammation.

Dr. Ella Haddad and her team from LLU evaluated 16 men and women between the
ages of 23 and 44 who were assigned to eat one of three diets. The first diet
contained about three ounces of whole pecans, the second contained three ounces
of blended pecans with water, and the third contained a control item. The team
took blood samples of participants at various intervals up to 24 hours after
consumption of the meals, and they observed a clear increase in oxygen radical
absorbance capabilities (ORAC) as well as lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol levels among those who ate the pecan-enriched meals.

"Our tests show that eating pecans increases the amount of healthy
antioxidants in the body," said Haddad, who is also an associate professor at
LLU's School of Public Health. "This protective effect is important in helping
to prevent development of various diseases such as cancer and heart disease."

Rich in tocopherols, a natural form of vitamin E, pecans contain specifically
high levels of gamma-tocopherols, a form of vitamin E closely associated with
inflammation reduction. In the study, blood levels of this important form of
vitamin E doubled in just eight hours after pecan consumption. And after just
three hours, gamma-tocopherol levels notably decreased LDL cholesterol levels
in the body by 33 percent.

"This study is another piece of evidence that pecans are a healthy food,"
added Haddad. "Previous research has shown that pecans contain antioxidant
factors. Our study shows these antioxidants are indeed absorbed in the body and
provide a protective effect against diseases."

A previous LLU study published in The Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that
simply adding pecans to one's diet can help lower cholesterol levels by 116.5
percent more than the American Heart Association's (AHA) Step I diet can.
Together, the two studies confirm the incredible health-promoting power of
pecans.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNew...

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