American scientists suggest that incorporating nuts into your diet and using them as a substitute for snacks will have major benefits – particularly if they’re pecans.
According to a study by researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences, switching daily snack foods to pecans can improve cholesterol levels and overall diet quality.
The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined the effects of pecan consumption on adults at risk for metabolic syndrome.
The researchers randomised 138 participants, aged 25 to 70, into two groups: one replaced their usual snacks with 56g of pecans daily, while the other maintained their regular diet. Over 12 weeks, vascular health data, blood work and dietary recalls were collected.
All participants were also instructed to stop eating all other types of nuts and to keep their non-snacking dietary behaviour and lifestyle consistent throughout the study.
Results showed that those who ate pecans experienced significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, the total cholesterol-to-HDL ratio, and triglycerides – factors linked to heart disease risk.
Additionally, their overall diet quality improved by 17% compared with those who did not consume pecans.
These findings suggest that incorporating pecans into the diet may support better heart health and improve dietary adherence.
The researchers note that pecans contain polyphenols, which may help keep blood vessels healthy by reducing inflammation.
Newsweek reports that while this study didn’t find differences in vascular health between groups, they recommend eating more polyphenol-rich foods, like pecans, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, to support heart health and improve diet quality.
“Replacing typical snacks with pecans improved key risk factors for heart disease including blood cholesterol levels and diet quality,” said Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State and co-author of the study.
“These results add to the large evidence-base supporting the cardiovascular benefits of nuts and add additional insights into how adults can incorporate nuts into their diet to improve the overall quality of their diet.”
Cholesterol and heart disease risk
In the study, people who ate the nutrient-rich superfood had lower levels of total cholesterol, “bad” LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides than those who didn’t.
LDL cholesterol can clog arteries and raise the risk of heart attacks or strokes, while “good” HDL cholesterol helps remove cholesterol from the body.
Lowering LDL and improving the cholesterol balance can reduce heart disease risk. Although triglycerides are important for energy, high levels can also increase heart disease risk.
Pecans are packed with calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron and the highest antioxidant content of any tree nut.
They may support immune health, reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, and even help prevent hair loss, according to University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, one of the nation’s leading healthcare systems.
As a high-protein option, pecans make an excellent meat substitute for vegetarians.
However, due to their high fat content, overeating pecans can cause digestive issues like gas, bloating and diarrhoea. The recommended daily intake is 15–19 pecan halves.
Study details
Consuming pecans as a snack improves lipids/lipoproteins and diet quality compared with usual diet in adults at increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases: a randomised controlled trial
Tricia Hart, Penny Kris-Etherton, Kristina Petersen et al.
Published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in April 2025
Abstract
Background
The vascular and cardiometabolic effects of pecans are relatively understudied.
Objectives
The aim was to examine how substitution of usual snack foods with 57 g/d of pecans affects vascular health, risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases, and diet quality, compared with continuing usual intake in individuals at risk of cardiometabolic diseases.
Methods
A 12-wk single-blinded, parallel, randomised controlled trial was conducted. Adults with ≥1 criterion for metabolic syndrome who were free from cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes were included. Participants were provided with 57 g/d of pecans and instructed to replace the snacks usually consumed with the provided pecans. The control group was instructed to continue consuming their usual diet. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD),primary outcome, along with blood pressure, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), lipids/lipoproteins, and glycaemic control were measured at baseline and following the intervention. Participants completed 3 24-h recalls at 3 time points (baseline, week 6, and week 12) during the study (9 recalls in total). The Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020) was calculated to assess diet quality.
Results
In total, 138 participants (mean ± SD; 46 ± 13 y, 29.8 ± 3.7 kg/m2) were randomly assigned (69 per group). No between-group differences in FMD, cf-PWV, or blood pressure were observed. Compared with the usual diet group, pecan intake reduced total cholesterol (−8.1 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −14.5, −1.7), LDL cholesterol (−7.2 mg/dL; 95% CI −12.3, −2.1), non-HDL-cholesterol (−9.5 mg/dL; 95% CI −15.3, −3.7), and triglycerides concentrations (−16.4 mg/dL; 95% CI −30.0, −2.9). Weight tended to increase in the pecan group compared with the usual diet group (0.7 kg; 95% CI −0.1, 1.4). The HEI-2020 increased by 9.4 points (95% CI 5.0, 13.7) in the pecan group compared with the usual diet group.
Conclusions
Replacing usual snacks with 57 g/d of pecans for 12-wk improves lipids/lipoproteins and diet quality but does not affect vascular health in adults at risk of cardiometabolic disease.
Newsweek article – Replace Snacks With These Nuts, Say Scientists (Open access)
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