Table 3.
The effect of nut consumption on cardiovascular risk factors. Summary of scientific evidence.
| Variables | Effect | Level of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Epidemiologic studies | ||
| Coronary heart disease | Decrease | ++ |
| Sudden cardiac death | Decrease | + |
| Ischemic stroke | No change | + |
| Heart failure | No change | + |
| Hypertension | Decrease | +/- |
| Diabetes | No change/decrease | +/- |
| Cancer | No change/decrease | +/- |
| Gallstone disease | Decrease | + |
| Complications of diverticular disease | Decrease | + |
| Inflammatory markers | Decrease | + |
| Body weight | No change/decrease | ++ |
| Clinical studies | ||
| Blood cholesterol | Decrease | ++ |
| Insulin sensitivity | No change/increase | +/- |
| Blood pressure | Decrease | + |
| Oxidation | No change/decrease | +/- |
| Inflammation | No change/decrease | +/- |
| Vascular reactivity | Increase | + |
| Body weight | No change | ++ |
| Visceral adiposity | Decrease | + |
+/-, equivocal evidence;
+, limited evidence from few studies;
++, consisting evidence in several studies.