Cardiovascular health benefits of hazelnuts consumption

ISNFF 2022, İstanbul, Türkiye, 2 - 05 Ekim 2022, ss.47

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the most important health problem and are the leading causes of death all over the world.

Genetic predisposition, age, gender, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, oxidative stress, smoking, bacterial and viral infections,

and a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol and low in vegetables, fruits and grains are the main risk factors causing CVDs. Regular

consumption of nuts (tree nuts; hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts... and peanuts) in diets is recommended for the prevention and treatment of

CVDs. Hazelnuts are highly nutritious food and rich in MUFAs and vitamin E. Additionally, they contain many other health promoting

compounds such as dietary fibers, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, phytosterols, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, among others.

Because of favourable nutrient profiles, hazelnuts possess various cardiovascular health benefits. The positive effects of regular hazelnut

consumption on plasma lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, LDL subfractions, LDL oxidation, plasma antioxidant potential, endothelial

functions, and body weight and composition in humans have been revealed. The high amount of MUFA (especially oleic acid) and

antioxidant actions of vitamin E in hazelnuts, which is low in SFAs, and sufficient in PUFAs, prevent LDL oxidation. The beneficial

effect of hazelnut on endothelium is due to its high arginine which is precursor for nitric oxide. Studies support the findings that although

hazelnuts provide an additional calorie of approximately 20% of the calorie needs of individuals in their daily diets, it does not increase

weight in individuals, and body mass indexes do not alter. In addition, hazelnuts are rich in folic acid among all tree nuts. Folic acid

prevents the increase of homocysteine level, which is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. In conclusion, including a recommended

amount of hazelnut (42 g/day) in the daily diet can be beneficial in preventing and delaying CVDs.