Peanut consumption and cardiovascular risk

Abstract

Objective We evaluated the effects of peanut consumption on lipid profiles, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and CHD risk in hypercholesterolaemic men.Design Randomised crossover clinical trial.Setting Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. They were asked to consume peanut supplements (about 77 g) with their habitual diet for 4 weeks.Subjects Fifty-four hypercholesterolaemic men with total cholesterol (TC) concentrations between 200 and 350 mg/dl.Results Compared with the habitual diet, peanut supplementation of the habitual diet significantly reduced TC/HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (mean 1 (se 03) P = 0001) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)/HDL-C ratio (mean 07 (se 02); P = 0001). Peanut consumption increased HDL-C (mean 61 (se 15) mg/dl; P < 0001) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (mean 12 (se 06) U/mL P = 004). In addition, peanut consumption significantly reduced the AIP (mean 01 (se 003) P = 001) and CHD estimated risk over 10 years based on systolic and diastolic blood pressures (mean 14 % (se 05 %) P = 0004 and mean 22 % (se 05 %) P < 0001, respectively).Conclusions Short-term peanut consumption might improve lipid profiles, the AIP and CHD risk in free-living hypercholesterolaemic men. © 2009 The Authors.