Nuts and their bioactive constituents: effects on serum lipids and other factors that affect disease risk
Open accessAbstract
Because nuts have favorable fatty acid and nutrient profiles, there is growing interest in evaluating their role in a heart-healthy diet. Nuts are low in saturated fatty acids and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, emerging evidence indicates that there are other bioactive molecules in nuts that elicit cardioprotective effects. These include plant protein, dietary fiber, micronutrients such as copper and magnesium, plant sterols, and phytochemicals. Few feeding studies have been conducted that have incorporated different nuts into the test diets to determine the effects on plasma lipids and lipoproteins. The total- and lipoprotein-cholesterol responses to these diets are summarized in this article. In addition, the actual cholesterol response was compared with the predicted response derived from the most current predictive equations for blood cholesterol. Results from this comparison showed that when subjects consumed test diets including nuts, there was an approximately 25% greater cholesterol-lowering response than that predicted by the equations. These results suggest that there are non-fatty acid constituents in nuts that have additional cholesterol-lowering effects. Further studies are needed to identify these constituents and establish their relative cholesterol-lowering potency.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Consumption of 5 servings per week of nuts is associated with reductions in CHD events of 40% to 60%.
“Consumption of 5 servings per week of nuts, a level similar to that recommended as part of the Portfolio dietary pattern, is associated with reductions in CHD events of 40% to 60%.60,61”
From Portfolio Dietary Pattern and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Controlled Trials (2018) · cites this paper as [61]
The Feeding Studies section (p. 506S) reports changes in blood cholesterol from diets containing nuts, not CHD events. The Planning Heart-Healthy Diets section describes nut serving sizes, but our copy does not link five servings per week to a 40%–60% reduction in CHD events (searched for that frequency, outcome, and range). (LLM, conf=0.72)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredProspective studies have shown that eating 5 servings of nuts per week is associated with a 40% to 60% decrease in coronary heart disease events.
“Prospective studies have shown that eating 5 servings of nuts per week is associated with a 40% to 60% decrease in coronary heart disease events (38,39).”
From Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: Metabolic and Molecular Mechanisms (2018) · cites this paper as [39]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Dietary antioxidant flavonoids and risk of coronary heart disease: the Zutphen Elderly Study
Hertog, M. G. L., Feskens, E. J. M., Kromhout, D., Hertog, M. G. L., Hollman, P. C. H., Hertog, M. G. L., & Katan, M. (1993) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/0140-6736(93)92876-u · Cited by 4,336 · see citing works
Recommended Dietary Allowances.
(1991) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-114-9-822_3 · Cited by 3,926 · see citing works
Hertog, M. G. L. (1995) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.1995.00430040053006 · Cited by 2,225 · see citing works
Mediterranean alpha-linolenic acid-rich diet in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease
de Lorgeril, M., Renaud, S., Salen, P., Monjaud, I., Mamelle, N., Martin, J. L., Guidollet, J., Touboul, P., & Delaye, J. (1994) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(94)92580-1 · Cited by 2,122 · see citing works
Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Soy Protein Intake on Serum Lipids
Anderson, J. W., Johnstone, B. M., & Cook-Newell, M. E. (1995) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199508033330502 · Cited by 2,048 · see citing works
Quantitative Effects of Dietary Fat on Serum Cholesterol in Man
Hegsted, D. M., McGandy, R. B., Myers, M. L., & Stare, F. J. (1965) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/17.5.281 · Cited by 1,589 · see citing works
Effect of dietary fatty acids on serum lipids and lipoproteins. A meta-analysis of 27 trials
Mensink, R. P., & Katan, M. B. (1992) · Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis: A Journal of Vascular Biology · doi:10.1161/01.atv.12.8.911 · Cited by 1,477 · see citing works
Association between Plasma Homocysteine Concentrations and Extracranial Carotid-Artery Stenosis
Selhub, J., Jacques, P. F., Bostom, A. G., D’Agostino, R. B., Wilson, P. W. F., Belanger, A. J., O’Leary, D. H., Wolf, P. A., Schaefer, E. J., & Rosenberg, I. H. (1995) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199502023320502 · Cited by 1,213 · see citing works
Serum cholesterol response to changes in the diet
Keys, A. B., Anderson, J. T., & Grande, F. (1965) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/0026-0495(65)90002-8 · Cited by 969 · see citing works
Serum cholesterol response to changes in the diet
Keys, A., Anderson, J. T., & Grande, F. (1965) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/0026-0495(65)90004-1 · Cited by 803 · see citing works
Lewis A. Conner Memorial Lecture
Steinberg, D. H. (1997) · Circulation · doi:10.1161/01.cir.95.4.1062 · Cited by 743 · see citing works
The National Cholesterol Education Program
Cleeman, J. I. (1989) · Clinics in Laboratory Medicine · doi:10.1016/s0272-2712(18)30638-3 · Cited by 711 · see citing works
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, hyperlipidemia, and thrombosis.
Goodnight, S. H., Harris, W. S., We, C., & Illingworth, D. R. (1982) · Arteriosclerosis An Official Journal of the American Heart Association Inc · doi:10.1161/01.atv.2.2.87 · Cited by 678 · see citing works
Dietary lipids and blood cholesterol: quantitative meta-analysis of metabolic ward studies
Clarke, R. C., Frost, C. D., Collins, R., Appleby, P. N., & Peto, R. (1997) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.314.7074.112 · Cited by 645 · see citing works
Dietary fat and serum lipids: an evaluation of the experimental data
Hegsted, D., Ausman, L., Johnson, J., & Dallal, G. (1993) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/57.6.875 · Cited by 515 · see citing works
Emken, E. A., Adlof, R. O., & Gulley, R. M. (1994) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Lipids and Lipid Metabolism · doi:10.1016/0005-2760(94)00054-9 · Cited by 489 · see citing works
Serum cholesterol response to changes in the diet
Keys, A. B., Anderson, J. T., & Grande, F. (1965) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/0026-0495(65)90003-x · Cited by 485 · see citing works
Effects of Walnuts on Serum Lipid Levels and Blood Pressure in Normal Men
Sabaté, J., Fraser, G. E., Burke, K. I., Knutsen, S. F., Bennett, H., & Lindsted, K. D. (1993) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199303043280902 · Cited by 397 · see citing works
Self-citationDietary phytosterols as cholesterol-lowering agents in humans
Jones, P. J. H., MacDougall, D. E., Ntanios, F. Y., & Vanstone, C. A. (1997) · Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology · doi:10.1139/cjpp-75-3-217 · Cited by 337 · see citing works
Berry, E., Eisenberg, S., Haratz, D., Friedlander, Y., Norman, Y., Kaufmann, N., & Stein, Y. (1991) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/53.4.899 · Cited by 334 · see citing works
Oxidative Modification of LDL and Atherogenesis
Steinberg, D. H. (1998) · Medical science symposia series · doi:10.1007/978-94-011-5022-4_16 · Cited by 330 · see citing works
Yu, S., Derr, J., Etherton, T., & Kris-Etherton, P. (1995) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/61.5.1129 · Cited by 316 · see citing works
Self-citationHealth benefits and practical aspects of high-fiber diets
Anderson, J., Smith, B. M., & Gustafson, N. (1994) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/59.5.1242s · Cited by 282 · see citing works
Cassidy, A., Bingham, S. A., & Setchell, K. D. R. (1995) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1079/bjn19950160 · Cited by 269 · see citing works
Dietary phytosterols as cholesterol-lowering agents in humans
Jones, P., MacDougall, D. E., Ntanios, F. Y., et al. (1997) · Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology · doi:10.1139/y97-011 · Cited by 264 · see citing works
Abbey, M., Noakes, M., Belling, G. B., & Nestel, P. (1994) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/59.5.995 · Cited by 251 · see citing works
Low fat‐monounsaturated rich diets containing high‐oleic peanuts improve serum lipoprotein profiles
O’Byrne, D., Knauft, D. A., & Shireman, R. B. (1997) · Lipids · doi:10.1007/s11745-997-0088-y · Cited by 199 · see citing works
Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Lipids, and Coronary Heart Disease
Stone, N. J. (1996) · Circulation · doi:10.1161/01.cir.94.9.2337 · Cited by 197 · see citing works
Kaminski, W., Jendraschak, E., Kiefl, R., et al. (1993) · Blood · doi:10.1182/blood.v81.7.1871.1871 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
Barcelli, U. O., Glas-Greenwalt, P., & Pollak, V. E. (1985) · Thrombosis Research · doi:10.1016/0049-3848(85)90226-9 · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Berry, E., Eisenberg, S., Friedlander, Y., Harats, D., Kaufmann, N., Norman, Y., & Stein, Y. (1992) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/56.2.394 · Cited by 129 · see citing works
Bioactive substances in food: identification and potential uses
Kitts, D. D. (1994) · Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology · doi:10.1139/y94-062 · Cited by 129 · see citing works
Shahar, E., Folsom, A. R., Wu, K. K., Dennis, B. H., Shimakawa, T., Conlan, M. G., DAVIS, C. E., & Williams, O. D. (1993) · Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis A Journal of Vascular Biology · doi:10.1161/01.atv.13.8.1205 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
Chisholm, A. W., Mann, J. I., Skeaff, M., Frampton, C. M. A., Sutherland, W. H. F., Duncan, A. W., & Tiszavari, S. (1998) · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600507 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Effect of a Diet High in Monounsaturated Fat From Almonds on Plasma Cholesterol and Lipoproteins
Spiller, G. A., Jenkins, D. J. A., Cragen, L. N., Gates, J. E., Bosello, O., Berra, K. A., Rudd, C. M., Stevenson, M., & Superko, H. R. (1992) · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · doi:10.1080/07315724.1992.12098233 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Rubinstein, A. (1995) · PubMed · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Effect of a diet high in vegetables, fruit, and nuts on serum lipids
Jenkins, D. J. A., Popovich, D. G., Kendall, C. W. C., Vidgen, E., Tariq, N. A., Ransom, T. P. P., Wolever, T. M. S., Vuksan, V. V. V., Mehling, C. C., Boctor, D. L., et al. (1997) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/s0026-0495(97)90190-6 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
The beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids: cardiovascular disease and neurodevelopment
Connor, W. E. (1997) · Current Opinion in Lipidology · doi:10.1097/00041433-199702000-00001 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Hypercholesterolemic Responses in Rabbits to Selected Groups of Dietary Essential Amino Acids
Kurowska, E. M., & Carroll, K. K. (1994) · Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/124.3.364 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
The role of antioxidants in preventive cardiology
Rimm, E. B., & Stampfer, M. J. (1997) · Current Opinion in Cardiology · doi:10.1097/00001573-199703000-00016 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
EShahar, RFolsom, A., KWu, K., HDennis, B., TShimakawa, GConlan, M., EDavis, C., & DWilliams, O. (1993) · Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis A Journal of Vascular Biology · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Effects of a macadamia nut enriched diet on serum lipids and lipoproteins compared to a low fat diet
Colquhoun, D., Humphries, J., Moores, D., & Somerset, S. M. (1996) · Food Australia · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Kurowska, E. M., & Carroll, K. K. (1992) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Lipids and Lipid Metabolism · doi:10.1016/0005-2760(92)90289-8 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Nuts—Nutrition and Health Benefits of Daily Use
Rainey, C. J., & Nyquist, L. (1997) · Nutrition Today · doi:10.1097/00017285-199707000-00006 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Copper in Nuts May Lower Heart Disease Risk
Klevay, L. M. (1993) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.1993.00410030101021 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
The zinc and copper content of seeds and nuts
Allen, K. G. D., Klevay, L. M., & Springer, H. L. (1977) · Nutrition reports international · Cited by 14 · see citing works
The effect of guar granules as an adjuvant to a self help weight loss program
Spielman, A. A., Kanders, B. S., & Blackburn, G. L. (1990) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Spiller GA, Gates JE, Jerkins DAJ, Bosello O, Nichols SF, Cragen L. Effect of two foods high in monounsaturated fat on plasma cholesterol and lipoproteins in adult humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:524 (abstr).
- Hertog MGL, Feskens EJM, Hollman PCH, Katan MB, Kromhout D. Dietary antioxidant flavonoids and cancer risk in the Zutphen Elderly Study. Lancet 1993;342:1007-11.
- Dietary reference intakes (DRIs) for calcium, phosphorus, magne- sium, vitamin D and fluoride. Nutr Today 1997;32:182-90.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Shahidi, F., & Ambigaipalan, P. (2015) · Journal of Functional Foods · doi:10.1016/j.jff.2015.06.018 · Cited by 3,081 · see citing works
Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: Metabolic and Molecular Mechanisms
Tosti, V., Bertozzi, B., & Fontana, L. (2018) · The Journals of Gerontology: Series A · doi:10.1093/gerona/glx227 · Cited by 762 · see citing works
Nut Consumption and Blood Lipid Levels: A Pooled Analysis of 25 Intervention Trials
Sabaté, J. (2010) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2010.79 · Cited by 422 · see citing works
Kris-Etherton, P. M., Hu, F. B., Ros, E., & Sabaté, J. (2008) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/138.9.1746s · Cited by 410 · see citing works
Self-citationNut consumption and decreased risk of sudden cardiac death in the Physicians’ Health Study
Albert, C. M., Gaziano, J. M., Willett, W. C., & Manson, J. E. (2002) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.162.12.1382 · Cited by 396 · see citing works
The effects of nuts on coronary heart disease risk
Kris-Etherton, P. M., Zhao, G., Binkoski, A. E., Coval, S. M., & Etherton, T. D. (2009) · Nutrition Reviews · doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2001.tb06996.x · Cited by 328 · see citing works
Self-citationSalas-Salvadó, J., Garcia-Arellano, A., Estruch, R., Marquez-Sandoval, F., Corella, D., Fiol, M., Gómez-Gracia, E., Viñoles, E., Arós, F., Herrera, C., et al. (2008) · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602762 · Cited by 295 · see citing works
Chiavaroli, L., Nishi, S. K., Khan, T. A., Braunstein, C. R., Glenn, A. J., Mejia, S. B., Rahelić, D., Kahleová, H., Salas-Salvadó, J., Jenkins, D. J. A., et al. (2018) · Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2018.05.004 · Cited by 226 · see citing works
Jenkins, D. J. A., Jones, P. J. H., Lamarche, B., Kendall, C. W. C., Faulkner, D., Cermakova, L., Gigleux, I., Ramprasath, V., de Souza, R., Ireland, C., et al. (2011) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2011.1202 · Cited by 218 · see citing works
Adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern and weight gain in a follow-up study: the SUN cohort
Sánchez-Villegas, A., Bes-Rastrollo, M., Martínez-González, M. A., & Serra-Majem, L. (2006) · International Journal of Obesity · doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803118 · Cited by 200 · see citing works
Nuts and coronary heart disease: an epidemiological perspective
Kelly, J. H., & Sabaté, J. (2006) · British Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/bjn20061865 · Cited by 193 · see citing works
Self-citationJenkins, D. J., Kendall, C. W., Faulkner, D. A., Nguyen, T., Kemp, T., Marchie, A., Wong, J. M., de Souza, R., Emam, A., Vidgen, E., et al. (2006) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn.83.3.582 · Cited by 184 · see citing works
Jenkins, D. J. A., Wong, J. M. W., Kendall, C. W. C., Esfahani, A., Ng, V. W. Y., Leong, T. C. K., Faulkner, D. A., Vidgen, E., Greaves, K. A., Paul, G., et al. (2009) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.115 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Jenkins, D. J. A., Kendall, C. W. C., Marchie, A., Faulkner, D., Vidgen, E., Lapsley, K. G., Trautwein, E. A., Parker, T. L., Josse, R. G., Leiter, L. A., et al. (2003) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/s0026-0495(03)00260-9 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Jenkins, D. J. A., Wong, J. M. W., Kendall, C. W. C., Esfahani, A., Ng, V. W. Y., Leong, T. C. K., Faulkner, D. A., Vidgen, E., Paul, G., Mukherjea, R., et al. (2014) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003505 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Background paper on global trends in food production, intake and composition
Wolmarans, P. (2009) · Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism · doi:10.1159/000229005 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
- Authors
- Kris-Etherton, P. M., Yu-Poth, S., Sabaté, J., Ratcliffe, H. E., Zhao, G., & Etherton, T. D.
- Affiliations
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-09
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 504S-511S
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1949683322
- Cited by
- 339
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 8.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nuts composition and effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Keywords
- nuts, serum lipids, cholesterol-lowering effect, serum cholesterol, lipoproteins, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, phytochemicals, copper, magnesium, dietary fiber, plant proteins, cardioprotection, heart-healthy diet
- MeSH terms
- Cholesterol, Diet, Fats, Fatty Acids, Humans, Lipoproteins, Phytotherapy, Nutritive Value, Nuts, Predictive Value of Tests
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
