September 29/Tehran, Iran/Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- A new study, "Peanut Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk," is now available. "We evaluated the effects of peanut consumption on lipid profiles, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and CHD risk in hypercholesterolaemic men. Randomised crossover clinical trial," scientists in Iran report.

"Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. They were asked to consume peanut supplements (about 77g) with their habitual diet for four weeks. Fifty-four hypercholesterolaemic men with total cholesterol (TC) concentrations between 200 and 350mg/dl. Compared with the habitual diet, peanut supplementation of the habitual diet significantly reduced TC/HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (mean 1 (se 0.3) p=0.001) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)/HDL-C ratio (mean 0.7 (se 0.2); p=0.001). Peanut consumption increased HDL-C (mean 6.1 (se 1.5) mg/dl; p<0.001) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (mean 1.2 (se 0.6) U/mL p=0.04). In addition, peanut consumption significantly reduced the AIP (mean 0.1 (se 0.03) p=0.01) and CHD estimated risk over 10 years based on systolic and diastolic blood pressures (mean 1.4 % (se 0.5 %) p=0.004 and mean 2.2 % (se 0.5 %) p<0.001, respectively)," wrote Nouran M. Ghadimi and colleagues, Shahid Beheshti University, Technology Research Institute.

The researchers concluded, "Short-term peanut consumption might improve lipid profiles, the AIP and CHD risk in free-living hypercholesterolaemic men."

Ghadimi and colleagues published their study in Public Health Nutrition ("Peanut Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk," Public Health Nutrition, 2010;13(10):1581-6).

For additional information, contact M. Ghadimi Nouran, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Dept. of Human Nutrition, Shahid Beheshti University MC, Tehran, Iran.

From the September 30, 2010, Prepared Foods' Daily News
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