A new study has found that eating a tiny amount of one type of nut a day can help to lower cholesterol levels. High cholesterol has often been called a ‘silent killer’ because people often don’t realise they’ve got a problem until a serious health issue arises.

Apart from some rare symptoms the only way to detect it is a blood test – but it leads to the clogging of blood vessels and arteries leading to high blood pressure and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

A new study by researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition just revealed that eating 57 grams of pecans per day, which is about two medium handfuls, could help lower cholesterol. The randomised trial included 138 participants — who all had at least one risk factor for metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels — and divided them into two groups.

One group was asked to eat 57 grams of raw, unsalted pecans each day in place of the snacks they usually consumed, while the control set continued eating its typical diet. After 12 weeks, researchers found that “Pecan intake improved total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides compared with the usual diet group.” This translated to a reduction in total cholesterol by 8.1 milligrams per deciliter, or 3.6%.”

Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State and co-author of the study said: “Replacing typical snacks with pecans improved key risk factors for heart disease including blood cholesterol levels and diet quality,” said. “These results add to the large evidence-base supporting the cardiovascular benefits of nuts and add additional insights into how adults can incorporate nuts into their diet to improve the overall quality of their diet.”

Brett Victor, MD, a cardiologist at Cardiology Consultants of Philadelphia said: “The study found statistically significant improvements in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, but it’s difficult to know how much of this benefit was due to the pecans themselves as opposed to the reduction of other, likely less healthy, snacks.

“I would interpret this trial as confirmation that replacing unhealthy snacks with a modest amount of healthy snacks, including nuts and pecans if you enjoy them, is one way to promote a heart-healthy diet.”

What did the study find:

In the study, pecan snackers experienced reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and triglycerides compared to non-pecan snackers. LDL cholesterol can build up in arteries and increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. HDL — sometimes known as “good cholesterol” — carries cholesterol back to the liver for removal from the body. So, both lowering LDL and reducing the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL can reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. Triglycerides are a necessary lipid for energy storage and metabolism, but high levels of triglycerides also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Participants may have helped by being healthier

The researchers said people should consider consuming more foods with polyphenols — like pecans, fruits, vegetables and whole grains — to support heart health and improve overall diet quality.

Prof Peterson said: “The improved diet quality among pecan snackers — including a higher percentage of calories from polyunsaturated fats and increased fiber and polyphenols — likely also contributed to the observed cholesterol improvements, particularly the LDL-lowering effects.” The researchers said that replacing a person’s usual snacks with pecans each day could improve cholesterol levels and diet quality, especially if they are at risk of metabolic syndrome.

Pecan Nutrition

Pecans are rich in many vitamins and minerals important for healthy skin, eyes, teeth, bones, muscles, and nerves. Pecans are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which help lower blood pressure. Vitamin A

• Folate
• Niacin
• Riboflavin
• Thiamine
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin E
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Phosphorus
• Zinc