The snack is a type of compound found in plants that has been shown to have health benefits11:05, 25 May 2026A study has revealed that replacing snack foods with pecans improves cholesterol levels and the overall quality of people's diets. Research from the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences in the US found that eating pecans in place of typical snack foods can reduce key risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol.‌Participants who swapped their usual snacks for pecans showed improvements across cholesterol measurements linked to poorer heart health, compared to those who continued eating their regular snacks. Researchers suggested that people should consider eating more polyphenol-rich foods, such as pecans, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, to support heart health and boost overall diet quality.‌The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, add further weight to the growing body of evidence surrounding the health benefits of nut consumption, reports Surrey Live.‌The study's 138 participants, aged 25 to 70, either live with or are at risk of metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that heighten a person's risk of developing several chronic diseases.Each participant met one or more criteria for metabolic syndrome, including abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL, high blood pressure and high fasting blood glucose.‌Scientists divided the participants equally into two groups. One group was asked to eat two ounces (57 grams) of pecans daily in place of their usual snacks, while the other group was instructed to continue with their normal diet.Diet quality, as measured by adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was 17% higher at the end of the study for participants who consumed pecans compared with those who did not.Pecans are rich in polyphenols, an anti-inflammatory compound. The research team cited previous studies suggesting that polyphenols support endothelial function, a key factor in maintaining healthy blood vessels.‌However, the study found no notable differences in vascular health — the body's circulatory network of blood vessels — between the two groups."Replacing typical snacks with pecans improved key risk factors for heart disease including blood cholesterol levels and diet quality," said Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State and co-author of the study."These results add to the large evidence-base supporting the cardiovascular benefits of nuts and add additional insights into how adults can incorporate nuts into their diet to improve the overall quality of their diet."Article continues belowThe professor added: "The improved diet quality among pecan snackers - including a higher percentage of calories from polyunsaturated fats and increased fiber and polyphenols - likely also contributed to the observed cholesterol improvements, particularly the LDL-lowering effects".The study was funded by the American Pecan Council.