Table 2. Levels of plasma vitamin C (μmol/l) and the ratios of vitamin E and carotenoids per mmol/l of cholesterol at start and after 8 weeks.

Variable	Group	Levels at baseline	Levels after 2 months	P for change within group	P for difference of changes between groups
P-vitamin C (μmol/l)	Fruit	16.3±11a	28.7±15a	0.017	0.53
	Nut	8.7±6.0a	17.2±9.4a	0.009
α-Tocopherol (μmol/l/mmol/l cholesterol)	Fruit	6.1±0.71	6.65±1.4	0.033	0.005
	Nut	6.6±0.64	6.24±0.71	0.067
γ-Tocopherol (μmol/l/mmol/l cholesterol)	Fruit	0.34±0.14	0.35±0.11	0.82	0.13
	Nut	0.37±0.17	0.47±0.15	0.081
α-Carotene (μmol/l/mmol/l cholesterol)	Fruit	0.087±0.048	0.078±0.032	0.29	0.75
	Nut	0.076±0.038	0.063±0.047	0.083
β-Carotene (μmol/l/mmol/l cholesterol)	Fruit	0.25±0.10	0.23±0.12	0.40	0.26
	Nut	0.25±0.079	0.21±0.059	<0.0001

Data are means±s.d.

Abbreviation: P, plasma.

^aThe differences in levels of vitamin C levels were statistically significant between groups at baseline (P=0.023) and at the end (P=0.017) of the trial.