A study presented at EPI|Lifestyle 2025 demonstrates the cardioprotective effect of pecan consumption.

“Our study shows that consuming pecans as a snack improves lipids/lipoproteins compared with usual diet in adults at increased risk for cardiometabolic diseases,” said the researchers.

At week 12, individuals who replaced their usual snack with pecans had greater reductions in total cholesterol (?8.1 mg/dL), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C; ?7.2 mg/dL), non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (non-HDL-C; ?9.5 mg/dL), and triglycerides (?16.4 mg/dL) than those who were consuming their usual snacks. [EPI|Lifestyle 2025, abstract MP05]

According to the investigators, these effects are clinically meaningful, with previous data suggesting that the LDL-C reduction observed would be expected to reduce the relative risk of a vascular event by 4.3 percent. [Am J Clin Nutr 2025;doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.01.024]

The findings also align with the results reported in a meta-analysis of 113 trials, showing a reduction in total cholesterol and LDL-C of about 4?5 mg/dL with a median nut intake of 45.5 g/day. [Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2024;doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2024.10.009]

Potential mechanisms

“The observed lipid/lipoprotein effects are likely explained by the dietary changes, including improvements in diet quality that occurred in response to replacing usual snacks with pecans,” the researchers explained.

“The percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates was reduced with a concomitant increase in energy intake from fat in the pecan vs usual diet group. This shift may have resulted in reduced de novo lipogenesis, lowering circulating triglycerides and LDL-C concentration,” they added.

Pecan consumption may have also upregulated LDL-C clearance due to the increased energy intake from polyunsaturated fat which, in turn, increases hepatic LDL-C receptors. [J Nutr 2005;135:2075-2078] The LDL-C reduction may also be attributed to the increased fibre intake and polyphenol and phytosterol content of pecans, the researchers added.

Choose pecans over usual snacks

“Nut intake has been associated with lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases through reductions in LDL-C and triglycerides and improvements in measures of glycaemic control,” the researchers said. “[However,] the cardiometabolic effects of pecan consumption have been less studied than other nuts.”

Hence, the investigators conducted a single-blinded study on 138 adults who were overweight or obese (mean age 46 years, 59 percent women, mean BMI 29.8 kg/m²), had ≥1 criterion for metabolic syndrome, and were free from cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. They were randomized 1:1 to either the pecan or the control arm.

Participants in the pecan group were provided with 57 g/day (2 oz/day) of pre-portioned raw, unsalted pecans and instructed to replace the snacks they usually consumed with the pecans. Those in the control arm were instructed to continue with their usual snack intake.

At baseline, the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 124 and 79 mm Hg, respectively, in the overall cohort. The mean total cholesterol was 192 mg/dL, LDL-C 117 mg/dL, and HDL-C 46.6 mg/dL. Moreover, the mean triglyceride level was 114 mg/dL and fasting plasma glucose 97 mg/dL.

“Replacing usual snacks with pecans 57 g daily improved lipids/lipoproteins and adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020?2025, compared with continuing usual intake after 12 weeks in adults at risk of cardiometabolic diseases,” said the investigators.

The 12-week study duration could have detected longer-term effects, and attrition rate was only 6 percent. The researchers also acknowledged generalizability of the findings to US adults because most have suboptimal cardiometabolic health and diet quality. [J Am  Coll Cardiol 2022;80:138-151; https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf, accessed 22 March 2025] “However, the results are not generalizable to populations that already have cardiometabolic diseases.”

“[Nonetheless,] recommendations to replace usual snacks with pecans among individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk may assist in lowering cardiovascular risk through improvements in diet quality and lipids/lipoproteins,” they concluded.