Antioxidants in pecans may contribute to heart health and disease prevention

A new research study from Loma Linda University demonstrates that naturally occurring antioxidants in pecans may help contribute to heart health and disease prevention; the results were published in the January 2011 issue of The Journal of Nutrition. Pecans contain different forms of the antioxidant vitamin E - known as tocopherols, plus numerous phenolic substances, many of them with antioxidant abilities. The nuts are especially rich in one form of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherols. The findings illustrate that after eating pecans, gamma-tocopherol levels in the body doubled and unhealthy oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood decreased by as much as 33 percent. Oxidized LDLs may further contribute to inflammation in the arteries and place people at greater risk of cardiovascular problems. "Our tests show that eating pecans increases the amount of healthy antioxidants in the body," says LLU researcher Ella Haddad, DrPH, associate professor in the School of Public Health department of nutrition. "This protective effect is important in helping to prevent development of various diseases such as cancer and heart disease." - EurekAlert