Background
Tree nuts, particularly almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, have been shown to possess
cardioprotective effects. However, there is little information on the effects of hazelnut
consumption on cardiovascular risk markers.
Methods
The antiatherogenic effect of hazelnut before and after consumption in hypercholesterolemic
subjects was investigated. Twenty-one hypercholesterolemic volunteers (18 men and
3 women) were recruited in a double control sandwich model intervention study with
a single group and three isoenergetic diet periods. These were control diet I (4 weeks),
hazelnut-enriched diet (4 weeks; hazelnut contributing 18%–20% of the total daily
energy intake), and control diet period II (4 weeks). The cardiovascular risk biomarkers
such as endothelial function, using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) technique, low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation products and inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity
C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and soluble
vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) as well as lipids and lipoprotein levels
were monitored.
Results
Consumption of a hazelnut-enriched diet significantly improved FMD (56.6%), total
cholesterol (−7.8%), triacylglycerol (−7.3%), LDL-cholesterol (−6.17%), and high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (6.07%) compared with the control diet I. Oxidized-LDL, hs-CRP,
and sVCAM-1 levels were significantly lower in the group ingesting a hazelnut-enriched
diet compared with the control diets I and II. Modest correlations between sVCAM-1
and FMD and between sVCAM-1 and hs-CRP were observed (r = −0.49, P < .025; r = 0.66, P < .001, respectively).
Conclusion
Hazelnut-enriched diets may exert antiatherogenic effect by improving endothelial
function, preventing LDL oxidation, and inflammatory markers, in addition to their
lipid and lipoprotein-lowering effects. These beneficial effects appeared to be reversible
after 4 weeks on a hazelnut-free diet. Therefore, hazelnut may be incorporated into
daily diet without change in total caloric intake for sustained health benefit.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 29, 2012
Accepted:
October 22,
2012
Received:
March 5,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
