A Daily Dose Of Pistachios Is Good For Heart Health In Patients With Metabolic Syndrome

Online, May 3, 2011 (Newswire.com) - NEW DELHI - Snacking 1.5 - 2.0 ounces of pistachio nuts per day in addition to a standardized diet and lifestyle plan significantly lowers both total cholesterol and LDL-C in Asian Indians suggests a latest Indian study by Dr Anoop Misra and Dr Seema Gulati from Fortis Hospital & Diabetes Foundation (India), New Delhi. The study was presented at the recently concluded Experiment Biology conference, Washington D.C. held between April 9-13, 2011.

The findings are a result of 6 months long study preceded by a diet and exercise run-in period of 30 days. For initial 12 weeks subjects in case group were given basic diet plus pistachio nuts constituting 15% of daily calorie intake. Subsequently, dosage of pistachio was increased to 20% of the total calorie intake for another 12 weeks. Controls were given equi-calorie, high fiber low fat diet. All the subjects in cases and controls were followed for 6 months.

"Pistachios are often included in traditional Indian diet. Now important evidence from our scientific study dictates that daily dose of pistachio included in energy controlled diet is helpful in reducing abdominal obesity, subcutaneous fat and cardiovascular risk factors" says Dr Anoop Misra, (chairman, Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Obesity, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology, & Director, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Diabetes Foundation (India) New Delhi.

The overall findings of the study indicates that adding pistachios to a standardized diet and lifestyle plan has following benefits compared to a diet and lifestyle plan without pistachios:

Body Composition: Asian Indians with Metabolic syndrome (MetS) consuming pistachio nuts had significantly smaller waist circumference, less subcutaneous fat and more adiponectin [a hormone produced by fat cells when they have lower fat levels which is associated with less inflammatory and oxidative stress and better health outcomes].

Blood Lipid Parameters: Asian Indians with MetS consuming pistachio nuts had significantly lower total and LDL-cholesterol.

Inflammation: Asian Indians with MetS consuming pistachio nuts had significantly lower high sensitive C - reactive protein and TNF-α both are very important biomarkers of inflammation.

While pistachios provide 14g of fat per 30g serving and almost 90% of that fat is the healthy unsaturated type, mono- and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fat comprises 55% of the fat in pistachios, 32% is polyunsaturated. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease when they replace saturated fats in the diet. Pistachios make a wise snack choice as they contain dense levels of eight nutrients including thiamin, vitamin B6, copper, manganese, potassium, fiber, phosphorus and magnesium.