Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding Trial
BackgroundConsumption of almonds or dark chocolate and cocoa has favorable effects on markers of coronary heart disease; however, the combined effects have not been evaluated in a well‐controlled feeding study. The aim of this study was to examine the individual and combined effects of consumption o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2017-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.116.005162 |
| _version_ | 1811332283562459136 |
|---|---|
| author | Yujin Lee Claire E. Berryman Sheila G. West C.‐Y. Oliver Chen Jeffrey B. Blumberg Karen G. Lapsley Amy G. Preston Jennifer A. Fleming Penny M. Kris‐Etherton |
| author_facet | Yujin Lee Claire E. Berryman Sheila G. West C.‐Y. Oliver Chen Jeffrey B. Blumberg Karen G. Lapsley Amy G. Preston Jennifer A. Fleming Penny M. Kris‐Etherton |
| author_sort | Yujin Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundConsumption of almonds or dark chocolate and cocoa has favorable effects on markers of coronary heart disease; however, the combined effects have not been evaluated in a well‐controlled feeding study. The aim of this study was to examine the individual and combined effects of consumption of dark chocolate and cocoa and almonds on markers of coronary heart disease risk. Methods and ResultsA randomized controlled, 4‐period, crossover, feeding trial was conducted in overweight and obese individuals aged 30 to 70 years. Forty‐eight participants were randomized, and 31 participants completed the entire study. Each diet period was 4 weeks long, followed by a 2‐week compliance break. Participants consumed each of 4 isocaloric, weight maintenance diets: (1) no treatment foods (average American diet), (2) 42.5 g/d of almonds (almond diet [ALD]), (3) 18 g/d of cocoa powder and 43 g/d of dark chocolate (chocolate diet [CHOC]), or (4) all 3 foods (CHOC+ALD). Compared with the average American diet, total cholesterol, non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol after the ALD were lower by 4%, 5%, and 7%, respectively (P<0.05). The CHOC+ALD decreased apolipoprotein B by 5% compared with the average American diet. For low‐density lipoprotein subclasses, compared with the average American diet, the ALD showed a greater reduction in large buoyant low‐density lipoprotein particles (−5.7±2.3 versus −0.3±2.3 mg/dL; P=0.04), whereas the CHOC+ALD had a greater decrease in small dense low‐density lipoprotein particles (−12.0±2.8 versus −5.3±2.8 mg/dL; P=0.04). There were no significant differences between diets for measures of vascular health and oxidative stress. ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that consumption of almonds alone or combined with dark chocolate under controlled‐feeding conditions improves lipid profiles. Incorporating almonds, dark chocolate, and cocoa into a typical American diet without exceeding energy needs may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Clinical Trial RegistrationURL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01882881. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:34:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb4a4046389c45f3ae029d8e674ff9e9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2047-9980 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:34:29Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb4a4046389c45f3ae029d8e674ff9e92022-12-22T02:39:29ZengWileyJournal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease2047-99802017-12-0161210.1161/JAHA.116.005162Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding TrialYujin Lee0Claire E. Berryman1Sheila G. West2C.‐Y. Oliver Chen3Jeffrey B. Blumberg4Karen G. Lapsley5Amy G. Preston6Jennifer A. Fleming7Penny M. Kris‐Etherton8Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PADepartment of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PADepartment of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PAJean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MAJean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MAThe Almond Board of California, Modesto, CAThe Hershey Company, Hershey, PADepartment of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PADepartment of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PABackgroundConsumption of almonds or dark chocolate and cocoa has favorable effects on markers of coronary heart disease; however, the combined effects have not been evaluated in a well‐controlled feeding study. The aim of this study was to examine the individual and combined effects of consumption of dark chocolate and cocoa and almonds on markers of coronary heart disease risk. Methods and ResultsA randomized controlled, 4‐period, crossover, feeding trial was conducted in overweight and obese individuals aged 30 to 70 years. Forty‐eight participants were randomized, and 31 participants completed the entire study. Each diet period was 4 weeks long, followed by a 2‐week compliance break. Participants consumed each of 4 isocaloric, weight maintenance diets: (1) no treatment foods (average American diet), (2) 42.5 g/d of almonds (almond diet [ALD]), (3) 18 g/d of cocoa powder and 43 g/d of dark chocolate (chocolate diet [CHOC]), or (4) all 3 foods (CHOC+ALD). Compared with the average American diet, total cholesterol, non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol after the ALD were lower by 4%, 5%, and 7%, respectively (P<0.05). The CHOC+ALD decreased apolipoprotein B by 5% compared with the average American diet. For low‐density lipoprotein subclasses, compared with the average American diet, the ALD showed a greater reduction in large buoyant low‐density lipoprotein particles (−5.7±2.3 versus −0.3±2.3 mg/dL; P=0.04), whereas the CHOC+ALD had a greater decrease in small dense low‐density lipoprotein particles (−12.0±2.8 versus −5.3±2.8 mg/dL; P=0.04). There were no significant differences between diets for measures of vascular health and oxidative stress. ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that consumption of almonds alone or combined with dark chocolate under controlled‐feeding conditions improves lipid profiles. Incorporating almonds, dark chocolate, and cocoa into a typical American diet without exceeding energy needs may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Clinical Trial RegistrationURL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01882881.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.116.005162almondscardiovascular disease risk factorsdark chocolateflow‐mediated dilationlipids and lipoproteins |
| spellingShingle | Yujin Lee Claire E. Berryman Sheila G. West C.‐Y. Oliver Chen Jeffrey B. Blumberg Karen G. Lapsley Amy G. Preston Jennifer A. Fleming Penny M. Kris‐Etherton Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding Trial Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease almonds cardiovascular disease risk factors dark chocolate flow‐mediated dilation lipids and lipoproteins |
| title | Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding Trial |
| title_full | Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding Trial |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding Trial |
| title_short | Effects of Dark Chocolate and Almonds on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled‐Feeding Trial |
| title_sort | effects of dark chocolate and almonds on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals a randomized controlled feeding trial |
| topic | almonds cardiovascular disease risk factors dark chocolate flow‐mediated dilation lipids and lipoproteins |
| url | https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.116.005162 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yujinlee effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT claireeberryman effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT sheilagwest effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT cyoliverchen effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT jeffreybblumberg effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT karenglapsley effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT amygpreston effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT jenniferafleming effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial AT pennymkrisetherton effectsofdarkchocolateandalmondsoncardiovascularriskfactorsinoverweightandobeseindividualsarandomizedcontrolledfeedingtrial |