Texas A&M study, supported by Texas Pecan Board, says pecans help prevent obesity and many other health issues

Pecans have thin shells and lots of meat. (Texas A&M)

"Daily consumption of pecans has been shown to prevent obesity and a host of related health issues like fatty liver disease and diabetes, according to a collaborative study by Texas A&M AgriLife scientists," the university reports, citing a study also funded by the Texas Pecan Board and the Texas Department of Agriculture. 

“Obesity and diabetes numbers are increasing in modern society worldwide, and the trend in high fat diet consumption is one of the main reasons, besides lifestyle and genetic predisposition,” said Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, a professor of horticulture and food science. “People are searching for healthier options, and we have now shown pecans are a healthy tool consumers have in their hands.”

Cisneros-Zevallos was principal investigator for the study, which provides scientific evidence supporting traditional knowledge in the Americas that pecans are highly nutritious, said Amit Dhingra, head of the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M. The study also involved a team at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran in Mexico.

“We now know what potential mechanisms underlie that nutritional benefit,” Dhingra said. “Our department is focused on the areas of sustainability, wellness and food security, and this research illustrates the relevance of horticultural crops for human health.”

 
Researchers applied pecans and high-fat diets to mice models and found that pecans increased energy expenditure, reduced inflammation and imbalances of microbes, and helped with digestion, liver function and muscle function.

Cisneros-Zevallos said pecans reduced low-grade inflammation that leads to chronic inflammation and the development of a range of prevalent diseases, as well as maintaining body weight and preventing diabetes even with a high-fat diet.