Pistachio nuts reduce triglycerides and body weight by comparison to refined carbohydrate snack in obese subjects on a 12-week weight loss program.
OBJECTIVE
There is a widely held view that, due to high fat content, snacking on nuts will lead to weight gain, ultimately causing unhealthy changes in lipid profiles. This study is designed to study the effects of pistachio snack consumption on body weight and lipid levels in obese participants under real-world conditions.


METHODS
Participants were randomly assigned to consume 1 of 2 isocaloric weight reduction diets for 12 weeks, with each providing 500 cal per day less than resting metabolic rate. Each diet included an afternoon snack of either 53 g (240 cal) of salted pistachios (n  =  31) or 56 g of salted pretzels (220 cal; n  =  28).


RESULTS
Both groups lost weight during the 12-week study (time trend, p < 0.001), but there were significant differences in the changes in body mass index between the pretzel and pistachio groups (pistachio, 30.1 ± 0.4 to 28.8 ± 0.4 vs. pretzel, 30.9 ± 0.4 to 30.3 ± 0.5). At 6 and 12 weeks, triglycerides were significantly lower in the pistachio group compared with the pretzel group (88.04 ± 9.80 mg/dL vs. 144.56 ± 18.86 mg/dL, p  =  0.01 at 6 weeks and 88.10 ± 6.78 mg/dL vs. 132.15 ± 16.76 mg/dL, p  =  0.02 at 12 weeks), and there was a time trend difference between the 2 groups over the 12 weeks (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin, or glucose between the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Pistachios can be consumed as a portion-controlled snack for individuals restricting calories to lose weight without concern that pistachios will cause weight gain. By comparison to refined carbohydrate snacks such as pretzels, pistachios may have beneficial effects on triglycerides as well.
Li
Zhaoping
Z
Center for Human Nutrition, Warren Hall, Room 12-217, 900 Veteran Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. zli@mednet.ucla.edu
Song
Rubens
R
Nguyen
Christine
C
Zerlin
Alona
A
Karp
Hannah
H
Naowamondhol
Kris
K
Thames
Gail
G
Gao
Kun
K
Li
Luyi
L
Tseng
Chi-Hong
CH
Henning
Susanne M
SM
Heber
David
D
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009754:Nuts; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D027927:Pistacia; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects*
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D028321:Plant Preparations; D014280:Triglycerides