Contradicting some earlier studies, new research using data from the very large and long-running Nurses' Health Study has found that calcium supplement intake was not associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in women.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-05/bawh-csn050914.php
A review of research from 1957 to the present has concluded that a whole diet approach, and specifically Mediterranean-style diets, has more evidence for reducing cardiovascular risk than strategies that focus exclusively on reduced dietary fat.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-02/ehs-ssw020514.php
A six-month study involving 138 overweight and obese older adults (50-75) with Metabolic Syndrome found that eating one cup of blueberries per day resulted in sustained improvements in vascular function and arterial stiffness, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by 12-15%. There was no benefit of a smaller 75 gram (half cup) daily intake of blueberries.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/uoea-ebe053019.php
Curtis, P. J., van der Velpen, V., Berends, L., Jennings, A., Feelisch, M., Umpleby, M., … Cassidy, A. (2019). Blueberries improve biomarkers of cardiometabolic function in participants with metabolic syndrome—results from a 6-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 109(6), 1535-1545. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/109/6/1535/5499342
A new study from the Women's Health Initiative has found that calcium and vitamin D supplements after menopause can improve women's cholesterol profiles, with much of that effect tied to raising vitamin D levels. Taking the calcium and vitamin D supplements was especially helpful in raising vitamin D levels in women who were older, women who had a low intake, women who had levels first measured in the winter, and women who didn’t smoke and who drank less alcohol.
Mice given decaffeinated green tea and regular exercise lost weight and improved their health after 16 weeks. Specifically, they reduced body mass by 27% (on average), reduced abdominal fat by 37%; reduced blood glucose level by 17%, plasma insulin level by 65%, and insulin resistance by 65%..
Neither green tea alone, nor exercise alone, produced such significant changes. The amount of green tea was a lot: the equivalent of 8-10 cups a day. Decaffeination may not be important; it was done to keep the effects of caffeine out of the study.
Two studies help explain why kidney disease increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and vascular calcification. The mediator seems to be a hormone called FGF23, which is sensitive to the level of phosphates in the body.
Phosphate rich foods include processed cheese, Parmesan, cola, baking powder and most processed foods.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-05/uovm-nco050514.php
Following on from the evidence that Alzheimer’s brains show higher levels of metals such as iron, copper, and zinc, a mouse study has found that amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s-like brains with significant neurodegeneration have about 25% more copper than those with little neurodegeneration. This is consistent with a human study showing very high levels of copper in Alzheimer’s plaques.
Iron, though doubled in Alzheimer’s brains compared to controls, was not significantly different as a function of neurodegeneration, and zinc showed very little difference.
Here are some nut studies that link to benefits in connection with diabetes, heart disease, and inflammation. However, it should be noted that they are often very small, and usually funded by nut organizations. I wouldn't put too much weight on such.
A 3-month study involving 117 older adults (mean age 62) with diabetes found that 75g of nuts (½ a cup) a day, as a replacement for carbohydrate foods, can improve glycemic control and blood lipids in those with type 2 diabetes.
The nuts used were a mixed lot of tree nuts (almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, macadamias and walnuts) and peanuts. improved blood lipid levels and blood sugar levels in individuals with non-insulin dependent diabetes.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-05/mp-itn052218.php
Jenkins, D.J.A., C.W.C. Kendall, B. Lamarche, M.S. Banach, K. Srichaikul, E. Vidgen, S. Mitchell, T. Parker, S. Nishi, B. Bashyam, R. de Souza, C. Ireland, S.C. Pichika, J. Beyene, J.L. Sievenpiper, R.G. Josse, 2018. Nuts as a replacement for carbohydrates in the diabetic diet: a reanalysis of a randomised controlled trial. Diabetologia https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-018-4628-9
A very small 4-week study involving 26 overweight and obese adults (average age 59) found that those given a diet with pecans substituted for 15% of the total calories significantly improved insulin sensitivity and had a significant effect on markers of cardiometabolic disease.
Both the control diet and the pecan-rich diet were low in fruits, vegetables and fiber.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/kc-n-eph032218.php
The study entitled "A Pecan-Rich Diet Improves Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial" is available online and was presented at the American Society for Nutrition Annual Conference, Nutrition 2018 held in Boston in June.
A review of 29 studies involving some 819,000 participants has concluded that people who eat at least 20g of nuts (a handful) a day have a 30% lower risk of heart disease, as well as lower risks of cancer, respiratory disease, and diabetes.
The study included all kinds of tree nuts, and also peanuts. The results were in general similar. There was little evidence of further improvement in health outcomes as a result of eating more than 20g of nuts.
Nuts and peanuts are high in fibre, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fats. Some nuts, particularly walnuts and pecan nuts are also high in antioxidants.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-12/icl-aho120216.php
McKay, D. L., Eliasziw, M., Chen, C. Y. O., & Blumberg, J. B. (2018). A Pecan-Rich Diet Improves Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 10(3), 339. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/3/339
Data from 5,013 men and women participating in the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study has revealed that higher nut intake (5 or more times per week) was associated with lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin 6 (IL6)).
Research has also shown that nut consumption may be inversely related to body mass index (BMI), which is a strong determinant of inflammatory biomarkers, so it may be that the associations between nut intake and inflammatory markers are mediated in part through BMI.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/mp-itn072716.php
Yu, Z., Malik, V. S., Keum, N., Hu, F. B., Giovannucci, E. L., Stampfer, M. J., … Bao, Y. (2016). Associations between nut consumption and inflammatory biomarkers. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 104(3), 722-728. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/104/3/722/4564733
"Sprouted" garlic — old garlic bulbs with bright green shoots emerging from the cloves — have been found to have even more heart-healthy antioxidant activity than fresh garlic.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-02/acs-dto022614.php
Data from AREDS2, involving 4,203 older adults with age-related macular degeneration, has found that daily dietary supplements of either omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (also found in fish) or lutein and zeaxanthin (nutrients found in green leafy vegetables) were not associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-03/tjnj-sna031414.php