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Antioxidants From Pecans

Beneficial To Heart Health

Exciting New Research
Continues On Superfood
Antioxidants, Carotenoids,
Phytonutrients and Nutritive
Plant Extracts For

Cardiovascular Health

Antioxidants in pecans may
help contribute to heart health
and disease prevention,
according to new research.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, suggests
that the high levels of antioxidants such as gamma-
tocopherol and flavan-3-ol found in pecan nuts can double
the levels of the antioxidant compounds in blood plasma,
and reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol by a third.

"Our tests show that eating pecans increases the amount
of healthy antioxidants in the body... This protective effect
is important in helping to prevent development of various
diseases such as cancer and heart disease," said
researchers from the School of Public Health at
Loma Linda University.

Pecan Power

The authors explained that pecans contain different forms
of vitamin E (mainly in the form of tocopherols), in addition
to other phenolic substances which may have antioxidant abilities.

High blood levels of oxidized 'bad' LDL cholesterol are
known to contribute to the process of plaque formation, in
atherosclerosis, which can lead to blood vessel blockage,
heart attacks, or stroke. As such, the more resistant LDL
cholesterol is to oxidation, the less likely it is to cause such
health problems.

The research scientists conducting the new study said that
pecans are especially rich in gamma-tocopherols, which
have been suggested protect fats, including LDL cholesterol,
from oxidation.

"[The] bioactive constituents of pecan nuts such as gamma-
tocopherol and flavan-3-ol monomers show antioxidant
properties in vitro, but bioavailability in humans is not
known," they said.

The new study examined post meal changes in tocopherols,
catechins, oxidized LDL-cholesterol and plasma oxygen
radical absorbance capacity (ORAC - a method for
measuring antioxidants in blood) in response to a test
meal containing pecans.

Study Details

The researchers analyzed biomarkers in blood and urine
samples from 16 study participants between the ages 23
and 44.

The volunteers were randomly assigned to three
sequences of test meals composed of whole pecans,
pecans blended with water, or a control meal of equivalent
nutrient composition, with a 1 week washout period
between treatments.

Participants' blood was sampled at baseline and at
intervals up to 24 hours post meal.

Following the test meals composed of whole pecans
and blended pecans, researchers found that amounts of
gamma-tocopherols in the body doubled after eight hours,
whilst oxygen radical absorbance capabilities (ORAC)
increased by an average of 11 percent two hours after
the meals.

In addition, the whole-pecan meal was found to lead to
reductions in oxidized LDL cholesterol of up to 33 percent
(after 3 hours).

The researchers said that "the results show that bioactive
constituent of pecans are absorbable and contribute to
postprandial antioxidant defenses."

"This study is another piece of evidence that pecans are
a healthy food. 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," said the team of
researchers.

Source: Journal of Nutrition Volume 141, Issue 1

"Pecans Acutely Increase Plasma Postprandial
Antioxidant Capacity and Catechins and Decrease
LDL Oxidation in Humans"

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice,

diagnosis or treatment.

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