POSTPRANDIAL EFFECTS OF PECAN NUTS INGESTION ON

p Postprandial effects of pecan nuts ingestion on plasma level of nutrients , polyphenolic compounds and biomarkers of antioxidant status in human volunteers

A . Statement of the Problem

Studies through the years have suggested the health benefits that can be derived from incorporating nuts in daily diet of humans . Pecans are rich sources of phytochemicals such as vitamin E , calcium , magnesium potassium , zinc and fiber ADDIN EN .CITE MorganW MorganJ BevwrlyM ClayshultePecans Lower Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in People with Normal Lipid LevelsJournal of the American Dietetic AssociationJournal of [banner_entry_middle]

br the American Dietetic Association312-8 1002000 (Morgan , Bevwrly Clayshulte , 2000 , as well as antioxidants that can have a unique effect on the body ADDIN EN .CITE YochumL YochumA FolsomH KushiIntake of Antioxidant Vitamins and Risk of Death from Stroke in Postmenopausal WomenAmerican Journal of Clinical NutritionAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition476-483 722000 (Yochum , Folsom Kushi , 2000 . Vitamin E in the form of tocopherol comes in different forms in pecan nuts , which protects fats from oxidation . The most abundant form is the gamma-tocopherol and an increase in concentration of gamma-tocopherol in the blood subsequently can reduce oxidation ADDIN EN .CITE HaddadE HaddadPJambazinaJ TanzmanJ SabateA Pecan Enriched Diet Increases Y-Tocopherol /Cholesterol and Decreases Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances in Plasma of AdultsNutrition ResearchNutrition Research397-402 2006 (Haddad , PJambazina , Tanzman Sabate , 2006 . In addition gamma-tocopherol has a protective effect against prostate cancer and may protect the intestine and this health benefits areas well accounted with its antioxidative properties . Pecans are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids which plays several important roles in brain function such as prevention of depression , which can interfere with brain function

One study reported that pecans rank highest among all nuts and are among the top category of foods to contain the highest capacity (TCA ) ADDIN EN .CITE XianliW XianliG BeecherJ HoldenD HaytowitzS GebhardtR PriorLipophilic and Hydrophilic Antioxidant Capacities of Common Foods in the United StatesThe Journal of Agriculture and Food ChemistryThe Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry4026-4037 522004 (Xianli et al , 2004 . It is observed that 28 .4 g (1 oz ) of pecans had 5 ,095 TAC ADDIN EN .CITE 2004212 127B eans Blast Blueberries To Gain Antioxidant Crown2004Vegpara dise News Bureau (Beans Blast Blueberries To Gain Antioxidant Crown , 2004 , and a dietary fiber 9 .00 g /100 g ADDIN EN .CITE FeldmanE Feldman The Scientific Evidence for a Beneficial Health Relationship Between Walnuts and Coronary Heart DiseaseJournal of NutritionJournal of Nutrition1062S-1101S 1322002 (Feldman , 2002 . Plant sterols are also present in pecan nuts and these compounds are capable of lowering the cholesterol in the body . Pecan nuts contain about 95 milligrams plant sterols per 100 grams and most are in the form of beta-sitosterol Beta-sitosterol lowers the level of blood cholesterol level through competing with cholesterol absorption in the body . Thus , an increase in an intake of pecan nuts may also increase the amount of plant sterols in the body which in turn could benefit ones health ADDIN EN .CITE EitenmillerR Eitenmiller L RyeP KoehlerSterol Content of Peanuts , Pecans and Peanut Products2000Inst itute of Food… [banner_entry_footer]