PECANS LOWER CHOLESTEROL AND IMPROVE DIET QUALITY IN AT-RISK ADULTS, STUDY FINDS

By Tarun Sai Lomte

Could a handful of pecans a day help your heart? A new clinical trial reveals that substituting snacks with pecans significantly enhances cholesterol levels and overall diet quality in adults at risk of cardiometabolic disease, without compromising blood vessel function.

Study: Consuming pecans as a snack improves lipids/lipoproteins and diet quality compared with usual diet in adults at increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases: a randomized controlled trial. Image Credit: Hong Vo / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers investigated the impact of substituting snacks with pecans on vascular health, cardiometabolic risk factors, and diet quality in individuals at risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

In the United States, cardiometabolic diseases remain the leading causes of death, and poor diet quality is a modifiable risk factor for these diseases. Higher adherence to healthy dietary patterns is associated with a reduced risk of cardiometabolic diseases. However, adherence to healthy diets in the US is poor. Nutrient-rich snacks contribute to improved diet quality, whereas snacks high in saturated fat and added sugars contribute to poor diet quality.

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2025-04-29T07:41:56Z