The physical form of hazelnuts does not alter their effect on plasma cholesterol

Abstract

Diets high in nuts have been shown to reduce cholesterol, probably through their favorable lipid profile. However, the physical form of the nut may be important. For example, the cell wall of intact nuts may limit the hypocholesterolemic effect of nuts by reducing lipid bioavailability. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of incorporating three different forms of hazelnuts into the usual diet on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Forty‐eight participants were recruited to take part in a randomized, crossover study with three phases. During each phase participants were asked to consume 30g of either ground, sliced or whole hazelnuts for four weeks. Body weight, plasma triglycerides, total, LDL‐ and HDL‐cholesterol were measured at baseline and at the end of each dietary phase. There were no significant differences in plasma lipids, lipoproteins or body weight between the different forms of nuts. However, consuming hazelnuts for three months significantly increased HDL‐cholesterol (1.21mmol/L vs 1.25mmol/L, p=0.023), and reduced total cholesterol (5.88mmol/L vs 5.68mmol/L, p<0.001), LDL‐cholesterol (4.01mmo/L vs 3.79mmol/L, p<0.001), and total:HDL ratio (5.23 vs 4.94, p<0.001). In conclusion, the ingestion of three different physical forms of hazelnuts equally improves the lipoprotein profile in mildly hypercholesterolemic individuals.