Effects of Walnut Consumption on Lipid Profile of Female Undergraduate Students

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now an important cause of death all over the world and is a growing health concern. Lifestyle factors, including nutrition, have an undeniable effect on the prevention and treatment of CVD. Walnut has a unique profile and is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and CVD risk factors. Method: A randomized clinical trial, in which 50 participants with a normal lipid profile were randomly divided into two groups. We added 40 gr of walnuts without skin per day for 4 weeks to the usual diet of the intervention group. Results: Paired Ttest showed that calorie, protein and fat intake increased significantly in all of the cases, after the consumption of walnuts. At baseline, BMI in control and intervention groups was 21.66 ± 4.06 and 21.22± 4.03 respectively which did not have a significant difference before and after the intervention. We observed a significant decrease in serum LDL and TG concentration in walnut groups after the intervention. Conclusion: The consumption of walnuts could result in decreased serum LDL and TG.