Good news for fans of the humble pecan: these tasty nuts might be even healthier than we thought, and swapping your usual snacks for them could be a smart move for your health.
That’s because a recent study has found that swapping daily snack foods for pecans can lead to improved cholesterol and enhanced overall diet quality.
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, focused on adults who live with or are at risk of having metabolic syndrome – the name for health problems that increase your risk of type 2 diabetes or conditions that affect your heart or blood vessels.
Participants in the 12-week study were randomly split into two groups: one group replaced their usual snacks with 57g of pecans daily, while the other continued with their regular diet.
The result? Participants who snacked on pecans showed reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
LDL cholesterol, commonly referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol, can accumulate in arteries and elevate the risk of heart disease and stroke. Lowering LDL levels, along with improving the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL – ‘good’ – cholesterol, is a key strategy for reducing cardiovascular disease risk.
“Replacing typical snacks with pecans improved key risk factors for heart disease including blood cholesterol levels and diet quality,” said Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State and co-author of the study.
“These results add to the large evidence-base supporting the cardiovascular benefits of nuts and add additional insights into how adults can incorporate nuts into their diet to improve the overall quality of their diet.”
A total of 138 adults aged between 25 and 70 took part in the research, all of whom had at least one criterion for metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, low HDL or high blood pressure.
Heart health data and blood work were collected at the start and end of the study, while dietary information was assessed nine times throughout. Participants were told to avoid other types of nuts and to maintain consistency in other parts of their lives, such as in non-snacking eating and day-to-day lifestyles.
Beyond improving cholesterol levels, the study found that pecan snackers demonstrated a 17 per cent higher adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index. Their diets included increased consumption of plant proteins and seafood, which are often under-consumed food groups.
This suggests that choosing pecans over less nutritious snacks may encourage overall healthier eating patterns. By making a small, simple switch, individuals might not only improve their heart health but also naturally increase their intake of other nutrient-dense foods, supporting a more balanced diet.
It’s not all positive, though. Despite the benefits to cholesterol levels and overall diet, the pecan group, on average, gained 0.7kg while the non-pecan group’s weights remained static.
The researchers suggested this may have resulted from incomplete energy substitution or lower-than-expected snack calorie intake at the beginning of the study.
Regardless, the weight gain didn’t appear to impact the cholesterol-lowering benefits of pecans. The study noted that in future with high doses of pecans, additional guidance on overall calorie intake may help ensure energy balance while still reaping the nutritional benefits of pecans.
In short, for people at risk of metabolic syndrome or those seeking simple ways to support their heart health, swapping out typical snack foods for pecans could be a small yet effective change. Just don’t forget to keep an eye on how many calories are going in versus out.
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