“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, Ph.D., the principal investigator for the study, professor of horticulture and food science in the Department of Horticultural Sciences in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and affiliate scientist in the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture. “People are searching for healthier options, and we have now shown pecans are a healthy tool consumers have in their hands.”
“Thanks to Dr. Cisneros-Zevallos’ work, we now know what potential mechanisms underlie that nutritional benefit,” said Amit Dhingra, Ph.D., head of the Department of Horticultural Sciences. “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.”
Their findings are based on investigations applying pecans and high-fat diets (HFD) to a series of mice models which found that pecans increased energy expenditure and reduced dysbiosis and inflammation; confirming that pecans modulate adipose tissues lipolysis and mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in the liver and skeletal muscle.
Additionally, the researchers noted that the anti-inflammatory properties of the pecans were observed to reduce levels of low-grade inflammation that can lead to chronic inflammation and the development of a range of diseases. The researchers added that the findings also show that pecans can help to maintain body weight and prevent diabetes despite consuming an HFD, and this new functionality could make pecans a superfood, which can be consumed directly or utilized in the functional food market and dietary supplements.
“This observation is key when designing strategies for studies, the more we know of unique functionalities of pecans, the more possibilities to create healthier products,” Cisneros-Zevallos said. “Pecans are of economic and historical importance to Texas and the U.S., and their production provides stability to farmers. This work will aid in the development of novel uses and products from pecans.”
This study was supported by the Texas Pecan Board, the Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture at Texas A&M AgriLife.
