Switching daily snack foods to pecans improved cholesterol levels and enhanced overall diet quality, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences.
The researchers randomized adults who live with or are at risk for metabolic syndrome - a set of conditions that increase a person's risk for several chronic diseases - to either consume pecans instead of their usual snacks or to continue eating their usual diet. Participants who ate pecans in lieu of their usual snacks demonstrated reductions across cholesterol measurements linked to poorer heart health compared to those that did not snack on pecans. Additionally, diet quality, as measured by adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was 17% higher at the conclusion of the study for participants who consumed pecans.
Results of the study were published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
