Nutrition 30 (2014) 459–465
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Nutrition
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Applied nutritional investigation
Brazilian nut consumption by healthy volunteers improves
inflammatory parameters
ˇ
Elisangela Colpo Ph.D. a, c, Carlos Dalton D.A. Vilanova B.Sc. a,
Luiz Gustavo B. Reetz M.Sc. b, Marta M.M.F. Duarte Ph.D. a, d,
Iria Luiza G. Farias Ph.D. b, Daiane F. Meinerz Ph.D. a, Douglas O.C. Mariano M.Sc. a,
Raquel G. Vendrusculo B.Sc. e, Aline A. Boligon Ph.D. f, Cristiane L. Dalla Corte Ph.D. a,
~o Batista T. da Rocha Ph.D. a, *
Roger Wagner Ph.D. e, Margareth L. Athayde Ph.D. f, Joa
a
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Centers, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
Clinical Laboratory Analysis, University Hospital, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
c
Department of Nutrition, Center Franciscan University, Santa Maria, Brazil
d
Lutheran University of Brazil, Santa Maria, Brazil
e
Department of Technology and Food and Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
f
Department of Industrial Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
b
a r t i c l e i n f o
a b s t r a c t
Article history:
Received 5 July 2013
Accepted 5 October 2013
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a single dose of Brazil nuts on the
inflammatory markers of healthy individuals.
Method: A randomized crossover study was conducted with 10 healthy individuals (mean age
24.7 3.4 y). Each individual was tested four times regarding intake of different portions of Brazil
nuts: 0, 5, 20 and 50 g. At each testing period, peripheral blood was collected before and at 1, 3, 6, 9,
24, and 48 h after intake of nuts, as well as at 5 and 30 d after intake of various Brazil nut portions.
Blood samples were tested for high-sensitivity to C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-10,
tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a, and interferon (IFN)-g, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases,
albumin, total protein, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, urea, and creatinine.
Results: Consumption of nuts did not affect biochemical parameters for liver and kidney function,
indicating absence of hepatic and renal toxicity. A single intake of Brazil nuts (20 or 50 g) caused a
significant decrease in serum IL-1, IL-6, TNF-a, and IFN-g levels (P < 0.05), whereas serum levels of
IL-10 were significantly increased (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results indicate a long-term decrease in inflammatory markers after a single intake
of large portions of Brazil nuts in healthy volunteers. Therefore, the long-term effect of regular
Brazil nut consumption on inflammatory markers should be better investigated.
Ó 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Human
Interleukin
Unsaturated fatty acids
Selenium
C-reactive protein
Nutrition
Oxidative stress
Introduction
Nuts are recommended as an important constituent of a
healthy diet [1]. They are energy-dense and provide 23.4 to
26.8 kJ/g of food with a high-fat content (45%–75% of weight), but
mostly unsaturated fat [2]. For instance, Brazil nuts are a good
source of unsaturated fatty acids and selenium [3,4]. The concentration of selenium in Brazil nuts varies from 8 to 83 mg/g and
is among the highest found within foods consumed by humans
[5,6].
* Corresponding author: Tel.: þ55 32209462; fax: þ55 32209878.
E-mail address: Jbtrocha@pq.cnpq.br (J. B. T. da Rocha).
0899-9007/$ - see front matter Ó 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2013.10.005
Selenium is an essential nutrient for human health [7] and its
biological functions are mediated by the expression of about 20
selenoproteins, which have selenocysteine at their active sites [8,
9]. Some selenoproteins, e.g., the glutathione peroxidase (GPx)
and thioredoxin reductase isoforms, are important enzymes
involved in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species [10].
However, the physiological role played by various other selenoproteins remains poorly understood.
In humans, selenium is implicated as a modulator of the
immune function [11]. Accordingly, selenium supplementation
has been reported to increase lymphocyte proliferation in
response to mitogens [11,12], and the expression of high-affinity
interleukin (IL) -2 receptor [11,13]. Selenium can also improve
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E. Colpo et al. / Nutrition 30 (2014) 459–465
Table 1
Anthropometric measurements and biochemical characteristics of volunteers
Parameters
Before start of experiment After end of experiment
Males
(n ¼ 6)
Females
(n ¼ 4)
Males
(n ¼ 6)
Females
(n ¼ 4)
Age (y)
27.6 3.1
29.0 4.4
28.0 2.9
29.2 4.8
Body weight (kg)
86.6 12.5 59.5 6.5
86.9 12.5 59.2 6.4
BMI (kg/m2)
26.7 3.5
23.4 1.6
26.8 3.7
23.1 1.4
7.3 0.9
7.3 2.2
7.4 1.9
7.6 1.5
Leukocytes
3
3
(10 /mm )
Erythrocytes
5.4 0.3
4.6 0.2
5.4 0.3
4.6 0.4
(103/mm3)
Hemoglobin (g/dL)
14.5 0.6
12.9 1
15.3 0.5
13.2 1.1
Hematocrit (%)
44.6 1.7
39.6 3.3
43.7 1.4
38.4 3.6
Platelet (103/mm3) 250.5 88 279.5 50 260.5 65.5 266.2 10.2
Glucose (mg/dL)
82.4 7.8
82.9 7.4
89.0 9.3
86.9 6.7
AST (UL)
18.6 6.1
19.7 6.6
19.4 5.5
19.2 6.4
ALT (UL)
20.5 8.6
23.2 8.6
21.3 8.7
23.3 9.4
Gamma GT (UL)
9.40 5
10.50 4.6 10.30 4.7 10.40 5
Phosphatase
38.2 12.4 43.9 10.2 38.2 11.5 43.7 7.8
alkaline (UL)
Total protein (g/dL)
6.5 0.6
6.8 0.3
6.6 0.6
6.8 0.32
Albumin (g/dL)
4.7 0.4
4.8 0.4
4.7 0.4
4.7 0.32
Urea (mg/dL)
20.0 7.5
20.2 7.3
19.7 6.3
21.4 7.2
Creatinine (mg/dL)
0.75 0.1
0.80 0.1
0.78 0.13 0.77 0.13
C-reactive protein
0.50 0.02 0.52 0.04 0.48 0.08 0.52 0.04
(mg/dL)
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BMI, body mass
index; gamma GT, gamma-glutamyltransferase
Data are expressed as means SD. Test paired (Wilcoxon) in relation to gender
lymphocyte-mediated tumor cytotoxicity and killer cells activity
[14], and may affect the immune system by regulating peroxide
levels in the immune cell microenvironment.
Compared with other nuts, Brazil nuts are highly rich in unsaturated fatty acids and they have been associated with
improved lipid profile and reduction in blood pressure, insulin
resistance, and systemic levels of inflammatory markers [1,15].
Fatty acids from nuts are important contributors to the beneficial
health effects, which protect from the development of coronary
heart disease [2]. It was previously reported [16] that high
monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) diets are associated with
reduced cardiovascular disease–associated mortality. Recently,
we observed that acute ingestion of Brazil nuts was non-toxic
and modulated favorably the lipid profile of healthy volunteers,
increasing their serum levels of high-density lipoprotein
cholesterol and lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [6].
However, blood levels of inflammatory mediators in response
to acute consumption of Brazil nuts in humans, has yet to be
investigated. Here, we hypothesized that consumption of Brazil
nuts would be associated with lower levels of inflammatory
markers. Thus, the objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of a single dose of Brazil nuts on inflammatory
markers in healthy volunteers.
Table 3
Phenolics and flavonoids composition of Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excels) aqueous
extracts
Compounds
Aqueous extract (mg/g)
Gallic acid
Catechin
Resveratrol
Ellagic acid
Epicatechin
Rutin
Quercitrin
Quercetin
Kaempferol
0.35
0.92
1.37
1.74
0.84
0.60
0.64
1.31
0.67
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.5
0.1
0.4
0.1
0.3
Results are expressed as mean S.D. of three determinations
Materials and methods
Study participants
The study was a randomized crossover trial with 10 adult volunteers, ages 23
to 34 y. The mean age of the participants was 24.7 3.4 y and 60% were men.
Each participant was tested four times after the administration of the different
amounts of Brazil nuts: 0, 5, 20, and 50 g. Two Latin squares of 4 4 for the four
tests were used to randomize participants into four orders of treatment. Before
each treatment, the volunteers underwent a 30-d washout period, to ensure that
the active compounds or ingredients in the nuts were completely eliminated [6].
We recommended a balanced diet with daily energy containing about 25 kcal/kg.
Furthermore, we requested volunteers avoid the ingestion of foods containing
high quantities of selenium (eggs, egg yolks, garlic, Brazil nuts, whole wheat
cereal, viscera, shellfish, and fish). We applied 24-h dietary recall and food frequency questionnaires after the last blood sampling to verify the types of foods
consumed during the study period [6]. The volunteers always reported not
ingesting the restricted foods.
This study has been reviewed and approved by the Universidade Federal de
Santa Maria’s Internal Review Board (No. 0240.0.243.000-11) and informed
consent was obtained from all participants.
Body weight was measured to the nearest 0.01 kg using a digital scale, and
height was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm using a wall-mounted stadiometer.
The body mass index was calculated and the participants were classified according to World Health Organization guidelines [17].
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Brazil nuts contain (per
100 g) 14.5 g of proteins, 15.1 g of carbohydrates, 63.7 g of total fats (15.3 g
saturated fatty acids, 27.4 g MUFAs, 21 g polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFAs]), as
well as 7.9 g of dietary fibers, for a total of 2.690 kJ [18]. Corroborating earlier
studies, Brazil nuts given to the participants contained 31.25 18.7 mg/g of
selenium [6].
Fatty acid determination Brazil nuts
The extraction of Brazil nut lipids was performed according to a previously
described method [19], grinding a known amount of Brazil nuts in the presence
Table 2
Fatty acids composition of the Brazil nut
Fatty acid
g/100 g
C14:0
C16:0
C16:1
C17:0
C18:0
C18:1n9
C18:2n6
C20:0
C20:1n9
C18:3n3
0.07
16.74
0.43
0.14
9.97
28.52
36.04
0.17
0.09
0.11
Results are expressed as mean SD of three determinations
0.03
1.06
0.09
0.15
1.42
1.99
2.26
0.05
0.02
0.03
Fig. 1. Representative high performance liquid chromatography profile of Bertholletia excelsa aqueous extract. Gallic acid (peak 1), catechin (peak 2), resveratrol
(peak 3), ellagic acid (peak 4), epicatechin (peak 5), rutin (peak 6), quercitrin
(peak 7), quercetin (peak 8), and kaempferol (peak 9).
E. Colpo et al. / Nutrition 30 (2014) 459–465
Table 4
GPx erythrocytes activity of healthy volunteers after consumption of the Brazil
nut
GPx (nmol NADPHmLmin erythrocytes)
Basal
1h
3h
6h
24 h
48 h
30 d
0 g Brazil nut
5 g Brazil nut
20 g Brazil nut
50 g Brazil nut
12.5
12.4
12.7
13.6
11.2
12.7
12.1
12.0
11.8
12.1
13.0
10.8
10.8
12.0
12.0
12.6
13.0
12.5
12.2
11.5
12.5
12.4
12.5
13.3
12.7
12.1
11.5
12.2
1.4
2.1
1.5
2.2
2.2
2.0
0.9
1.5
1.5
1.5
0.8
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.1
2.1
1.8
1.8
2.0
1.7
1.6
1.2
2.2
2.4
1.4
0.9
0.9
1.5
GPx, glutathione peroxidase
Data are expressed as means SD
461
kaempferol, quercetin, quercitrin, and rutin; and 0.025 to 0.250 mg/mL for rosmarinic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, catechin, and epicatechin. Chromatography
peaks were confirmed by comparing its retention time with those of reference
standards and by DAD spectra (200–600 nm). Calibration curve for gallic acid:
Y ¼ 12574 x þ 1350.7 (r ¼ 0.9999); catechin: Y ¼ 12605 x þ 1367.5 (r ¼ 0.9998);
epicatechin: Y ¼ 11948 x þ 1376.4 (r ¼ 0.9995); rosmarinic acid: Y ¼ 13728
x þ 1257.9 (r ¼ 0.9993); quercitrin: Y ¼ 12591 x þ 1205.9 (r ¼ 0.9997); ellagic
acid: Y ¼ 13050 x þ 1284.1 (r ¼ 0.9993); rutin: Y ¼ 11983 x þ 1321.5 (r ¼ 0.9997);
quercetin: Y ¼ 12667 x þ 1352.4 (r ¼ 0.9991) and kaempferol: Y ¼ 13085
x þ 1253.6 (r ¼ 0.9999). All chromatography operations were carried out at
ambient temperature and in triplicate.
The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were calculated
based on the SD of the responses and the slope using three independent
analytical curves. LOD and LOQ were calculated as 3.3 and 10 s/S, respectively,
where s is the SD of the response and S is the slope of the calibration curve [23].
Selenium determination Brazil nuts
of a methanol/chloroform (1: 2 v/v) mixture at 15 mL/g of fresh weight. The fatty
acid methyl esters were obtained using a saponification and esterification procedure described previously [20] and analyzed by a gas chromatograph equipped
with flame ionization detector. The results were expressed as concentration of
each fatty acid per gram of lipid [21].
The levels of selenium in Brazil nuts were determined according to a modified version of a procedure previously described [24]. Samples of 0.5 g of the
Brazil nuts were weighed and digested with 5.5 mL of HNO3 acid (65%) and
heating at 100 C for 12 h. Digested samples were diluted 10 times with ultrapure
water before analysis using a Multitype ICP Emission Spectrometer (ICPE-9000,
Shimadzu).
Chemicals, apparatus, and general procedures for quantification polyphenols
Laboratory measurements
All chemicals were of analytical grade. Methanol, acetic acid, gallic acid,
rosmarinic acid and ellagic acid purchased from Merck (Darmstadt, Germany).
Catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, and kaempferol were acquired
from Sigma Chemical Co. (St. Louis, MO, USA). High-performance liquid chromatography diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was performed with a Shimadzu
Prominence Auto Sampler (SIL-20 A) HPLC system (Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan),
equipped with Shimadzu LC-20 AT reciprocating pumps connected to a DGU 20
A5 degasser with a CBM 20 A integrator, SPD-M20 A DAD and LC solution 1.22 SP1
software.
Quantification of compounds by HPLC-DAD
Reverse phase chromatographic analyses were carried out under gradient
conditions using C18 column (4.6 150 mm) packed with 5 mm diameter particles; the mobile phase was water containing 2% acetic acid (A) and methanol (B),
and the composition gradient was: 5% (B) for 2 min; 25% (B) until 10 min; 40%,
50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% (B) every 10 min; following the method described previously [22] with slight modifications. Bertholletia excelsa (aqueous extract) and
mobile phase were filtered through 0.45 mm membrane filter (Millipore) and
then degassed by ultrasonic bath before use, the fennel aqueous extract was
analyzed at a concentration of 50 mg/mL. The flow rate was 0.6 mL/min, injection
volume 50 ml and the wavelength were 254 for gallic acid, 280 for catechin and
epicatechin, 325 nm for ellagic and rosmarinic acids, and 365 nm for quercetin,
quercitrin, rutin, and kaempferol. All samples and mobile phase were filtered
through 0.45 mm membrane filter (Millipore) and then degassed by ultrasonic
bath before use. Stock solutions of standards references were prepared in the
HPLC mobile phase at a concentration range of 0.030 to 0.400 mg/mL for
Ten mL of venous blood samples were collected before and at 1, 3, 6, 9, 24,
48 h, and 5 and 30 d after the ingestion of the nuts. Except for the 6- and 9-h time
points, all volunteers were at a 12-h fasting period for the collection of blood.
Blood samples were collected by venous puncture technique into VacutainersÒ
(BD Diagnostics, Plymouth, UK) tubes with EDTA plus sodium fluoride, sodium
citrate, or no anticoagulants. Specimens were routinely centrifuged at 2500 g for
15 min at 4 C. Plasma (EDTA þ sodium fluoride) was used to measure the levels
of fasting glucose and serum was used to access the levels of high-sensitivity
C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a, and
interferon (IFN)-g.
Hemoglobin levels and hematocrit were determined in a Cobas Micros system (Hematology Analyzer, Roche DiagnosticsÒ). Fasting glucose, aspartate and
alanine aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase,
urea, creatinine, albumin, total protein, and hs-CRP concentrations were
measured with standard enzymatic methods by use of Ortho-Clinical DiagnosticsÒ reagents on the fully automated analyzer (Vitros 950Ò dry chemistry
system; Johnson & Johnson, Rochester, NY, USA). Cytokines were quantified by
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with commercial kits for human IL-1, IL-6,
IL-10, TNF-a, and IFN-g, (eBIOSCIENCE, San Diego, CA, USA), according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serum and plasma samples were stored at 80 C for up
to 4 wk before analyses.
GPx Assay
The analysis of plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (EC 1.11.1.9) activity
was assayed as described previously [25]. In brief, erythrocytes (100 mL, diluted
Fig. 2. Seric levels of IL-1 in healthy volunteers after consumption of Brazil nuts. (A) With basal. (B) Difference to the basal. Wilcoxon test. *P < 0.05 compared with basal.
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E. Colpo et al. / Nutrition 30 (2014) 459–465
Fig. 3. Seric levels of IL-6 in healthy volunteers after consumption of Brazil nuts. (A) With basal. (B) Difference to the basal. Wilcoxon test. *P < 0.05 compared with basal.
1/100) were added to the assay mixture (total volume of 1000 mL) and the reaction started by the addition of H2O2 to give a final concentration of 0.4 mM.
Conversion of NADPH (final concentration of 0.15 mM) to NADPþ was monitored
continuously for 2 min at 340 nm. GSH-Px activity was expressed as micromole of
NADPH oxidized per min/mL of plasma, using an extinction coefficient of
6.22 106 for NADPH.
Statistical analysis
Data are expressed as mean SD. The statistical analysis was performed by
analysis of variance and non-parametric test (Wilcoxon). Descriptive statistics
was performed for all baseline characteristics. Differences were considered significant at P < 0.05.
Results
Anthropometric measurements and biochemical characteristics of the volunteers are listed in Table 1. The biochemical
parameters of liver, kidney function, hemogram, and anthropometric measurements in healthy volunteers, were not modified
by ingestion of nuts, indicating an absence of hepatic and renal
toxicity in response to high intake of Brazil nuts. There was no
change in hs-CRP levels after ingestion of Brazil nuts, as shown in
Table 1.
The estimated fat intake from nuts is shown in Table 2. The
quantity of the polyphenolic constituents found in Brazil nuts is
presented in Table 3. The average selenium concentration in
Brazil nuts was 34.8 3.2 mg/g.
HPLC fingerprinting of Brazil nuts aqueous extracts revealed
the presence of the following polyphenolic constituents: Gallic
acid (tR ¼ 10.05 min; peak 1), catechin (tR ¼ 14.97 min; peak 2),
resveratrol (tR ¼ 24.85; peak 3), ellagic acid (tR ¼ 32.45 min; peak
4), epicatechin (tR ¼ 37.81 min; peak 5), rutin (tR ¼ 42.18 min;
peak 6), quercitrin (tR ¼ 46.25 min; peak 7), quercetin
(tR ¼ 48.61 min; peak 8), and kaempferol (tR ¼ 60.13 min; peak 9;
Fig. 1).
The erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase (Table 4) and DNA
damage, measured by the comet assay (data not shown) in
healthy volunteers was unaffected by ingestion of Brazil nuts. A
single ingestion of Brazil nuts (20 or 50 g) caused a significant
decrease in serum IL-1 levels, starting at 24 h, remaining stable
for up to 30 d after the ingestion. The decrease in IL-1 caused by
5 g of nuts was less pronounced than that observed with 20 and
50 g (Fig. 2). Serum levels of IL-6 were markedly decreased in
individuals who consumed 50 g of Brazil nuts from 24 h up to
30 d after consumption of nuts (P < 0.05; Fig. 3). In contrast, in
the group that received 20 g of Brazil nuts, the decrease in IL-6
was apparent 5 and 30 d after ingestion (P < 0.05).
Serum levels of TNF-a and IFN-g were decreased in individuals who consumed 20 or 50 g of Brazil nuts. This significant
decrease was observed from 24 h up to 30 d after nut
Fig. 4. Seric levels of TNF-a in healthy volunteers after consumption of Brazil nuts. (A) With basal. (B) Difference to the basal. Wilcoxon test. *P < 0.05 compared with basal.
E. Colpo et al. / Nutrition 30 (2014) 459–465
463
Fig. 5. Seric levels of IFN-g in healthy volunteers after consumption of Brazil nuts. (A) With basal. (B) Difference to the basal. Wilcoxon test. *P < 0.05 compared with basal.
consumption (P < 0.05; Figs. 4 and 5, respectively). Serum levels
of IL-10 were significantly increased in individuals consuming 20
or 50 g of Brazil nuts from 9 h up to 30 d (Fig. 6; P < 0.05).
d-Aminolevulinato dehydratase activity, a marker of oxidative
stress was not modified by Brazil nut ingestion (data not shown).
Discussion
The results of our study with healthy volunteers indicated a
long-term decrease in inflammatory markers after a single
ingestion of high quantities of Brazil nuts. This positive effect
may be related to the high amounts of selenium and unsaturated
fatty acids and PUFAs present in Brazil nuts [4,16,26,27]. Several
acute [28–30] and chronic [31,32] human clinical trials have
demonstrated lower concentrations of circulating levels of
proinflammatory cytokines or endothelial cell adhesion molecules in individuals consuming nuts or olive oil (Mediterranean
diet) compared with those consuming other types of oils or fat
sources. In agreement, the consumption of the Mediterranean
diet has been associated with a reduction in inflammatory
markers in blood [33–35].
It has been shown that the content of saturated fatty acids
from Brazil nuts was about 20%, with higher concentrations of
palmitic and stearic acids [6]. For MUFA, this value was about
30%, representing mostly oleic aciddu-9. The content of PUFAs
was about 25%, representing mostly linoleic aciddu-6. Earlier
data indicate that MUFA and PUFAs can exhibit antiinflammatory properties in different experimental models of
inflammation [36]. The mechanisms by which dietary fatty acids
inhibit cytokine production are unknown, but may be related to
inhibition of the inflammatory cascade at the level of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) [37].
Consequently, the beneficial effect of different types of nut
consumption has been described in pathologic conditions, such as
cardiovascular disease [2,6,16,27,32,38,39], dyslipidemia [6,31,40],
diabetes mellitus [41], hypertension, [42] and other chronic diseases [1,26,43]. Moreover, moderate selenium supplementation
has been shown to cause beneficial effects in immune function
and a decrease in oxidative stress [11,16,33,44]. Modulation of
oxidative stress (particularly a reduction of peroxide levels) can
decrease inflammation [45]. Notably, fatty acid levels and selenium status are important modulators of the expression of GPx
that may influence the levels of oxidative stress and fatty acid
metabolism in the endothelium [46]. Human clinical trials have
reported an increase in the antioxidant defense mechanism after
tree nut consumption due to an increase in erythrocyte catalase
activity and a decrease in reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione ratio [47]. In the present study, the content of selenium in
Brazil nuts may have contributed to the diminished inflammatory
response, in the absence of modified of GPx activity.
Fig. 6. Seric levels of IL-10 in healthy volunteers after consumption of Brazil nuts. (A) With basal. (B) Difference to the basal. Wilcoxon test. *P < 0.05 compared with basal.
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E. Colpo et al. / Nutrition 30 (2014) 459–465
Various polyphenolic compounds have been identified in
Brazil nuts [48]. In accordance with previous results here we
demonstrated the presence of similar quantities of total polyphenolic contents in Brazil nuts. Additionally, we demonstrated
here the presence of the following main components: resveratrol,
ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, epicatechin, kaempferol, quercitrin, and rutin. The phenolic compounds present in foods can
have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [49], and may
be one of the active compounds responsible for the beneficial
effects of Brazil nuts reported here. Furthermore, specific
phenolic compounds can inhibit both COX and LOX pathways,
thus decreasing the production of inflammatory metabolites [50].
In summary, a single consumption of 20 to 50 g of nuts
decrease inflammatory markers in healthy individuals up to 30 d
after ingestion. The results presented here raise the following
questions: Is it better to ingest a single large portion of Brazil
nuts intermittently? Or is it better to ingest small portions of
Brazil nuts daily or chronically? Furthermore, we propose that
long-term effects of regular or intermittent consumption of
Brazil nuts on the course of dyslipidemia should be further
investigated.
Acknowledgments
This work was financed by grants received from the National
Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq).
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that
there is no conflict of interest. We would like to thank Dr. Michael
Aschner who advised us on the correction of English language.
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