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Nuts and Human Health
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Nuts and Human Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 29269

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Rachel Brown

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Interests: nuts; nut consumption; cardiovascular disease; nutrition interventions; energy balance; consumer acceptance of nuts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Siew Ling Tey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Interests: nuts; energy density; nutrition interventions; heart disease; diabetes; obesity; ageing; malnutrition; sarcopenia
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is planning a Special issue focusing on the effects of nuts on human health. Several international guidelines recommend the inclusion of nuts as part of a healthy diet to lower the risk of chronic diseases. Recent research has investigated the effects of regular nut consumption on several new research areas, such as cancer, diabetes, malnutrition, cognition, and fertility. The continued investigation of the health effects of nuts in different research areas can help to guide nut consumption recommendations.  

This Special Issue aims to bring together up-to-date original research in the field of the health effects of nut consumption. We welcome manuscripts on long-term, short-term, and acute human studies, as well as epidemiological research on a wide range of outcomes associated with nut consumption. We also invite submissions of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on nut consumption.

We invite you to submit your latest research on the health effects of nut consumption.

Prof. Dr. Rachel Brown
Dr. Siew Ling Tey
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Nuts
  • Chronic disease
  • Cancer
  • Diabetes
  • Human health
  • Energy balance
  • Satiety
  • Portion size
  • Energy density
  • Diet quality
  • Eating occasion
  • Novel biomarkers
  • Metabolomics
  • Phytochemicals
  • Ageing
  • Cognitive function
  • Nutritional status
  • Sustainability

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2304 KiB  
Article
Snacking on Almonds Lowers Glycaemia and Energy Intake Compared to a Popular High-Carbohydrate Snack Food: An Acute Randomised Crossover Study
by Rachel Brown, Lara Ware, Andrew R. Gray, Alex Chisholm and Siew Ling Tey
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10989; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010989 - 19 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4525
Abstract
Consuming nuts may have advantages over other snack foods for health and body-weight regulation. Suggested mechanisms include increased satiety and lower glycaemia. We used an acute randomised crossover trial to assess glycaemic and appetite responses to consuming two isocaloric snacks (providing 10% of [...] Read more.
Consuming nuts may have advantages over other snack foods for health and body-weight regulation. Suggested mechanisms include increased satiety and lower glycaemia. We used an acute randomised crossover trial to assess glycaemic and appetite responses to consuming two isocaloric snacks (providing 10% of participants’ total energy requirements or 1030 kJ (equivalent to 42.5 g almonds), whichever provided greater energy): raw almonds and sweet biscuits among 100 participants with available data (25 males and 75 females) following 106 being randomised. Two hours after consuming a standardised breakfast, participants consumed the snack food. Finger-prick blood samples measuring blood glucose and subjective appetite ratings using visual analogue scales were taken at baseline and at 15 or 30 min intervals after consumption. Two hours after snack consumption, an ad libitum lunch was offered to participants and consumption was recorded. Participants also recorded food intake for the remainder of the day. The mean area under the blood glucose response curve was statistically and practically significantly lower for almonds than biscuits (mean (95% CI) difference: 53 mmol/L.min (45, 61), p < 0.001). Only the composite appetite score at 90 min was higher in the almond treatment compared to the biscuit treatment (45.7 mm vs. 42.4 mm, p = 0.035 without adjustment for multiple comparisons). There was no evidence of differences between the snacks for all other appetite ratings or for energy intake at the ad libitum lunch. However, mean energy intakes following snack consumption were significantly lower, both statistically and in practical terms, for the almond treatment compared to the biscuit (mean (95% CI) diff: 638 kJ (44, 1233), p = 0.035). Replacing popular snacks with almonds may have advantages in terms of glycaemia and energy balance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuts and Human Health)
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13 pages, 526 KiB  
Article
Is a Handful an Effective Way to Guide Nut Recommendations?
by Rachel Brown, Andrew R. Gray, Mei Gee Chua, Lara Ware, Alex Chisholm and Siew Ling Tey
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7812; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157812 - 23 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4087
Abstract
Dietary guidelines recommend consuming 30 g of nuts per day to reduce the risk of chronic disease. A ‘handful’ is commonly used to guide consumers. Research is lacking on how this translates into actual gram amounts. This study quantified the grams of nuts [...] Read more.
Dietary guidelines recommend consuming 30 g of nuts per day to reduce the risk of chronic disease. A ‘handful’ is commonly used to guide consumers. Research is lacking on how this translates into actual gram amounts. This study quantified the grams of nuts represented by different portion size measures, including a ‘handful’ and ‘30 g serving’ among 120 participants. Each participant was randomised to a sequence where they received three of six different nut types (from almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, peanuts, and walnuts) and were instructed to take a: ‘usual serving’, ‘handful’, ‘small handful’, ‘large handful’, and ‘30 g serving’ of each. Combining all nut types, the median ‘handful’ was 36.3 g, compared to 28.7 g for the estimated ‘30 g serving’ and 24.8 for the ‘usual serving’. The ‘large handful’ was approximately double the ‘handful’ (61.3 g), whereas the ‘small handful’ was about half (16.7 g). Eighty-three percent of portions chosen were at least 80% of the recommended 30 g intake when participants were asked to take a ‘handful’, compared to 63% for the ‘30 g serving’. It appears a ‘handful’ can be used as a practical tool to guide recommended nut intakes, and increases the amount selected compared to instructions to take a ‘30 g serving’. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuts and Human Health)
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Review

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50 pages, 1132 KiB  
Review
Effects of Hazelnut Consumption on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Acceptance: A Systematic Review
by Rachel Brown, Lara Ware and Siew Ling Tey
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2880; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052880 - 1 Mar 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5849
Abstract
Despite being rich sources of monounsaturated fat and a number of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, hazelnuts have received less attention than some other nut types. A qualitative systematic review was carried out to determine the effects of hazelnut consumption on acceptance and markers [...] Read more.
Despite being rich sources of monounsaturated fat and a number of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, hazelnuts have received less attention than some other nut types. A qualitative systematic review was carried out to determine the effects of hazelnut consumption on acceptance and markers of cardiometabolic health, including blood lipids and lipoproteins, apolipoproteins A1 and B100, body weight and composition, blood pressure, glycemia, antioxidant status, oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial function. In total, 22 intervention studies (25 publications) met our inclusion criteria. The findings indicate some improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors; however, limitations in study design mean interpretation is problematic. The inclusion of hazelnuts in the diet did not adversely affect body weight and composition. Acceptance of hazelnuts remained stable over time confirming nut consumption guidelines are feasible and sustainable. Future studies using more robust study designs in a variety of populations are required to draw more definitive conclusions on the health benefits of hazelnut consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuts and Human Health)
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26 pages, 771 KiB  
Review
Nuts and Older Adults’ Health: A Narrative Review
by Sze-Yen Tan, Siew Ling Tey and Rachel Brown
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1848; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041848 - 14 Feb 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5545
Abstract
Although the beneficial effects of nuts on cardiometabolic diseases have been well established, little is known about the effects of nuts on age-related diseases. Given that age-related diseases share many biological pathways with cardiometabolic diseases, it is plausible that diets rich in nuts [...] Read more.
Although the beneficial effects of nuts on cardiometabolic diseases have been well established, little is known about the effects of nuts on age-related diseases. Given that age-related diseases share many biological pathways with cardiometabolic diseases, it is plausible that diets rich in nuts might be beneficial in ameliorating age-related conditions. The objective of this review was to summarise the findings from studies that have examined the associations or effects of nut consumption, either alone or as part of the dietary pattern, on three major age-related factors—telomere length, sarcopenia, and cognitive function—in older adults. Overall, the currently available evidence suggests that nut consumption, particularly when consumed as part of a healthy diet or over a prolonged period, is associated with positive outcomes such as longer telomere length, reduced risk of sarcopenia, and better cognition in older adults. Future studies that are interventional, long-term, and adequately powered are required to draw definitive conclusions on the effects of nut consumption on age-related diseases, in order to inform dietary recommendations to incorporate nuts into the habitual diet of older adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuts and Human Health)
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15 pages, 926 KiB  
Review
The Effect of Nut Consumption on Diet Quality, Cardiometabolic and Gastrointestinal Health in Children: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
by Lauren C Mead, Alison M Hill, Sharayah Carter and Alison M Coates
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(2), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020454 - 8 Jan 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4209
Abstract
Tree nuts and ground nuts are nutrient-rich foods known to improve human health when consumed regularly in the diet. Past observational studies suggest that nuts improve adult and child health; however, limited randomized control trials (RCTs) have assessed the health effects of nuts [...] Read more.
Tree nuts and ground nuts are nutrient-rich foods known to improve human health when consumed regularly in the diet. Past observational studies suggest that nuts improve adult and child health; however, limited randomized control trials (RCTs) have assessed the health effects of nuts in children. Using a systematic review approach, we examined the effect of nut intake on health outcomes in children aged 8–18 years. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE and Cochrane library to identify RCTs of interest. A total of 5783 articles were identified, 4821 were screened by title and abstract and 37 by full text resulting in four articles that met the inclusion criteria for the review. Nut consumption was between 15 and 30 g with durations of between 3 and 16 weeks. Nut consumption was shown to improve children’s diet quality (increase children’s intake of essential nutrients including fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), protein and fiber), there were inconsistent effects on biomarkers of cardiometabolic health (improve lipid profiles, microvascular reactivity and inflammation) and gastrointestinal health (increase in the proportion of beneficial fecal bacteria). Further studies exploring the broad health benefits of nuts in children are needed with consideration given to higher doses and longer intervention periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuts and Human Health)
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11 pages, 307 KiB  
Review
Barriers and Facilitators to Nut Consumption: A Narrative Review
by Elizabeth P. Neale, Georgie Tran and Rachel C. Brown
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(23), 9127; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17239127 - 7 Dec 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3991
Abstract
Habitual nut intake is associated with a range of health benefits; however, population consumption data suggests that most individuals do not meet current recommendations for nut intake. The literature has highlighted a range of barriers and facilitators to nut consumption, which should be [...] Read more.
Habitual nut intake is associated with a range of health benefits; however, population consumption data suggests that most individuals do not meet current recommendations for nut intake. The literature has highlighted a range of barriers and facilitators to nut consumption, which should be considered when designing strategies to promote nut intake. Common barriers include confusion regarding the effects of nut consumption on body weight, perceptions that nuts are high in fat, or too expensive, and challenges due to dentition issues or nut allergies. Conversely, demographic characteristics such as higher education and income level, and a healthier lifestyle overall, are associated with higher nut intakes. Health professionals appear to play an important role in promoting nut intake; however, research suggests that knowledge of the benefits of nut consumption could be improved in many health professions. Future strategies to increase nut intake to meet public health recommendations must clarify misconceptions of the specific benefits of nut consumption, specifically targeting sectors of the population known to have lower nut consumption, and educate health professionals to promote nut intake. In addition, given the relatively small body of evidence exploring barriers and facilitators to nut consumption, further research exploring these factors is justified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuts and Human Health)
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