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. 2023 Aug 2;14(5):1005–1028. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.07.010

TABLE 8.

Intake of pecans on cardiovascular and gut health, 2017–2023

Reference Study design Study duration Subject characteristics n Nut type, quantity Control Relevant outcomes
Cardiovascular health
McKay 2018 [59] Randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding trial 4 wk OW or obese males and females (mean age 63 y) 26 Pecan, ∼42.5 g/d (15% of energy) Isocaloric diet, excluding pecans ↓ E-selectin1
↓ TC and LDL-C trending significant
No Δ in BP
Guarneiri 2021 [60] Randomized, controlled trial 8 wk, PP HFM Males and females at risk for CVD (mean age 48 y) 56 Pecans, 68 g/d (1) added to diet
  • (2)

    substituted for isocaloric snack

 Exclusion of pecans ↓ TC1, LDL-C1, TG1, TC:HDL1, non-HDL-C1, ApoB1
No Δ in BP

Includes human clinical trials that focus on only one functional food (ie, a single type of nut or berry) with outcomes of known physiologically relevant measures related to vascular function and gut health over the past 5 y (2017–2023). Excludes interventions using mixtures of different types of nuts or berries, nut- or berry-containing meals, and nut or berry extracts or oils. Also excludes interventions where nut or berry intake was in combination with other potentially confounding factors (ie, diet or lifestyle modifications including physical activity and dietary counseling).

Abbreviations: AIx, augmentation index; BP, blood pressure; CKD, chronic kidney disease; DiaBP, diastolic blood pressure; FMD, flow-mediated dilation; HDL-C, HDL cholesterol; HRV, heart rate variability; ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1; IDL-C, IDL cholesterol; LAC, large artery compliance; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL:HDL, LDL cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio; MAP, mean arterial pressure; MetS, metabolic syndrome; OW, overweight; oxLDL, oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; PP HFM, postprandial high fat meal; PSV, brachial artery peak systolic velocity; SAC, small artery compliance; SBA, secondary bile acids; sVCAM-1, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1; SysBP, systolic blood pressure; TC, total cholesterol; TC:HDL, total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus; TG, triglycerides; TMAO, trimethylamine N-oxide; UM, urolithin metabotype; VLDL-C, VLDL cholesterol.

1

denotes statistical significance <0.05.