About Nuts newsletter
PEANUTS AND NUTS, SURPRISINGLY MULTIFACETED

In this newsletter
1. Different nuts, different properties
2. Expert opinion: Dr Marianne Smeets, Dutch Vitamin Information Office
3. Science and health
  • Nuts protect blood vessels
  • Spotlight on alpha linoleic acid
  • Cure for food allergies
4. News about nuts
5. Peanuts in the spotlight!

1. Different nuts, different properties
The fourth number of the About Nuts newsletter again contains a variety of interesting subjects related to peanuts, nuts and health. Dr Marianne Smeets of the Dutch Vitamin Information Office (Vitamine Informatie Bureau) will examine in this number the role of peanuts and nuts when building a good immunity. It has already been known for a while that peanuts and nuts have a protective effect when it comes to heart and vascular disease. This newsletter describes two recent studies on the protective effect of pecans and walnuts on blood vessels. We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter.

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2. Expert opinion:
Dr Marianne Smeets, Dutch Vitamin Information Office
Marianne Smeets
Photo: Marianne Smeets
Nuts and peanuts help to build up a good immunity
Good immunity is important and vitamins will help built up our immune system. All year round. Ailments are ready to pounce during the wet and cold autumn and winter months. Good immunity is essential. A good diet with sufficient vitamins and minerals form the foundation.

Nuts and peanuts are important providers of vitamins and minerals. A number play an important role when keeping our immune system working efficiently. It is not the case, however, that we would never be ill again if we had sufficient vitamins and minerals. But a shortage of these nutrients does increase the probability of infection. A good vitamin and mineral supply is therefore important.
The 'vitamins and minerals that build up immunity'
Vitamins that play a role in building up a good immunity are vitamins A, B6, C, D and E and of the minerals mainly zinc. These vitamins and minerals play a role to some extent in ensuring our immune systems work correctly. Vitamin C is by far the best known when we discuss immunity. This does not mean that the other ones are less important. Vitamins B6 and E, in particular, can be found a lot in nuts and peanuts. A handful of nuts will provide approximately one third of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin E and a sixth of the RDA of vitamin B6.

From the vitamins in peanuts and nuts, that build up our immunity, vitamin B6 ensures that we can produce sufficient white blood cells. White blood cells ensure that an infection is recognised and suppressed.
Vitamin E works in a completely different way. This vitamin protects the cells of our immune system. Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants are chemicals that protect our body against free radicals. These chemicals are produced in general processes in our body and may damage different types of body cells.

Besides these vitamins, nuts and peanuts also contain relatively high quantities of zinc. Zinc also plays a role in ensuring our immune system works efficiently. It is partly responsible for the formation and activation of white blood cells.
Contributions made by nuts and peanuts
The Food Consumption Survey (Voedsel Consumptie Peiling; 1998) has shown that the average consumption of "nuts, seeds and snacks" is 29 grams per day. This means that this group provides a reasonable contribution towards the intake of zinc (10% of the RDA) and vitamin E (15-20% of the RDA).

In short, nuts and peanuts can also help us in getting through the winter healthily and fitly.
Source:
1 Office of dietary supplements : www.ods.od.nih.gov.
2 NEVO tabel. Nederlands Voedingsstoffen Bestand 2006. Voedingscentrum, Den Haag (2006).
3 Zo eet Nederland 1998. Resultaten van de Voedselconsumptiepeiling 1998. Voedingscentrum Den Haag (1998).


3. Science and health
Nuts protect blood vessels
Pecans and walnuts have a positive influence on blood vessels. Two recent studies carried out in the USA and Spain have shown this.
A handful of pecans
American research shows that a handful (30 gram) of pecans per day, inhibits the unwanted oxidation of cholesterol. Oxidation, in particular, of LDL cholesterol, will increase our probability of suffering from hardening of the arteries. This process may ultimately lead to heart and vascular disease.
Two diets were compared in a randomised and controlled study: one diet enriched with pecans and one without pecans. Overall, 23 men and women between 25 and 55 years of age ate both diets during 4 weeks. Blood tests showed that fat oxidation was significantly lower during the period of the pecan-rich diet.
The positive effect of pecans can be explained by the presence of vitamin E (gamma-tocopherol) in pecans according to the researchers. Vitamin E has an anti-oxidant effect and can therefore counteract LDL cholesterol oxidation.
Elastic blood vessels
Walnuts also protect blood vessels. A recent Spanish study concludes that the positive effect of walnuts on heart and vascular disease is greater than that of olive oil. Walnuts were shown to have a positive influence on the elasticity of blood vessels. A reduced elasticity leads to the further hardening of blood vessels. This is an important risk factor for heart and vascular disease.
During the randomised cross-over survey, 24 trial individuals (12 with increased levels of cholesterol and 12 with a normal cholesterol level) ate high fat content meals during 2 weeks. The elasticity in the group without increased levels of cholesterol remained the same after the diet with additional walnuts. In the group with increased levels of cholesterol, the elasticity increased. Elasticity, on the other hand, was reduced in both groups when the diet was rich in olive oil.
Protective effect
Different nutrients in walnuts can explain this protective effect. They contain the arginine amino acid, the alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) and different anti-oxidants. These nutrients have all been identified in previous studies as components that could possible improve blood vessel function.
Source:
1 Haddad et al. A pecan-enriched diet increases gamma-tocopherol/cholesterol and decreases thiorbarbituric acid reactive substances in plasma of adults. Nutrition Research, volume 26 (no 8), 2006.
2 Cortés et al. Acute effects of high-fat meals enriched with walnuts or olive oil on postprandial endothelial function. Journal of American Cardiology volume 48 (no. 7), 2006.


Spotlight on alpha-linoleic acid
Alfa-linoleic acid (ALA) is an essential vegetable omega-3 fatty acid. It is very important that we take in sufficient ALA through our diet because the body cannot produce ALA itself. ALA can in part be converted into the docosahexaene acid (DHA) in our body. This fatty acid can, in turn, be converted to eicosapentaene acid (EPA) to a limited degree (see figure 1). ALA, EPA and DHA have been linked to the prevention of heart and vascular disease.
The Health Council of the Netherlands recommends that men take in 2.8 grams and women 2.2 grams of ALA per day. Vegetable oil and products made from these oils (such as mayonnaise) are important sources of ALA. It also occurs naturally in lentils, soya beans, green leaf vegetables and nuts. Walnuts, in particular, have high levels of ALA One handful of walnuts a day (30 grams) provides 2.6 grams of ALA. This nearly covers the recommended daily allowance of ALA.
ALA sources g/100 g
Linseed oil 54.20
Walnut oil 13.50
Walnuts 8.70
Mayonnaise 6.82
Hazelnut paste 0.99
Peanut butter 0.88
ALA omzetting
Graphic: ALA conversion

Source: Omega-3 fatty acid information card: ALA, EPA and DHA. Margarine, Vetten en Oliën (Margarine, Fats and Oils) Information Agency.

Cure for food allergies
There is good news for people who suffer from food allergies. Immunologist Ronald van Ree of the Academisch Medisch Centrum Amsterdam believes that we will be able to treat food allergies properly in the future. He is expecting the first experimental treatments for peanut allergies to become available within two years.
He believes that the solution can be found in applying a combination of biotechnology and vaccination development where genetically modified peanuts can be used for the immunotherapy. This method could also, in principle, be used for other food allergies in the future.
Source:
1 Nu.nl www.nu.nl.
2 Nederlands Dagblad www.nd.nl.


4. News about nuts
Jack Klijn mixen
Photo: Jack Klijn mixes
The Nut Company introduces new Jack Klijn mixes
In december 2006 The Nut Company started the delivery of a range of mixes: Jack Klijn "Power Mix", "Vitality Mix" and "Beauty Mix". The products are a mix of different nuts and fruit types. The mixes have been put together in such a way that they contain a combination of different vitamins and minerals. The "Power Mix", for example, is rich in iron and phosphorus, the "Vitality Mix" is a good source of vitamins B1 and B3 and the "Beauty Mix" is a good source of vitamins B2 en E. The new products are branded as Jack Klijn in The Netherlands and as Nutberry's in the UK. These products carry the About Nuts logo.

5. Peanuts in the spotlight!
Pinda
Photo: Peanut
Although they are often included when we speak of nuts, peanuts belong to the legume family. They do not grow aboveground on a tree or a bush as other nuts do but on a peanut plant. The fruit of this plant, that is, the peanut, matures under the ground.
Rich history
Originally peanuts come from South America. The Incas included peanuts when burying their dead to give them food to take along to the hereafter more than 3,500 years ago. The Spanish took peanuts from South America back to Spain. From Spain they were distributed through Asia and Africa. The peanut became a frequently grown crop especially in Africa where they were considered to even have a soul. Peanuts were taken on slave ships to the United States from this continent and introduced there. Peanut consumption increased enormously as an effect of the civil war in 1860, since both the Northern and the Southern army considered the peanut as a valuable food product. Nowadays, peanuts are processed into different products and are used as an ingredient in many kitchens throughout the world.
* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance
Peanuts   Per portion (30g) % RDA*
Energy (kJ)
(kcal)		 776
187		  
Protein (g) 7,6  
Carbohydrates (g) 4,2  
Fats
    Saturated
    Unsaturated		 (g)
(g)
(g)		 16
2,7
11,8		  
Fibre (g) 2 7%
Vitamin E (mg) 24 24%
Table: Nutritional value of peanuts (per portion)
Filled to overflowing with nutrients
Peanuts are also a good source for vitamin E as are a number of other nuts. A handful of peanuts contains no less than 24% of the RDA of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant.
Anti-oxidants can play a role in preventing heart and vascular disease and cancer. Peanuts also contain nutritional fibre; nearly 7 grams of fibre per 100 grams. This is 20% of the recommended daily allowance for fibre.