Handful of one type of nut every day boosts weight loss, study says

The research claims it is also good for reducing the risk of diabetes and liver disease

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A large handful of pecan nuts daily is enough to lose weight and prevent diabetes, according to a new study. The nuts curb obesity and fatty liver disease as well as reducing inflammation.

Researchers from the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences say that its properties make pecan nuts a superfood. Just 22 nuts a day is enough to make a difference according to the study published in the journal Nutrients.

Co-researchers fed a high fat diet to mice before giving them pecans. They found that pecans increased energy expenditure and reduced bad gut bacteria and inflammation.

The study confirmed that pecans modulate the breakdown of fatty tissue and and helps the healthy running of liver and skeletal muscle. The team also noticed the anti-inflammatory properties of pecans that reduce the chances of developing of a range of diseases such as heart and bowel disease.

They concluded pecans maintain body weight and prevent diabetes despite consuming a high fat diet. Principal investigator for the study, Dr Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, a professor of horticulture and food science said: "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.

“People are searching for healthier options, and we have now shown pecans are a healthy tool consumers have in their hands. 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.

“Pecans are of economic and historical importance to Texas and the US and their production provides stability to farmers. This work will aid in the development of novel uses and products from pecans.”

The 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.