Snacking often gets a bad rap — and for good reason. Many between-meal snacks are packed with sugar, salt, and saturated fats, contributing to poor nutrition and unwanted weight gain.
But not all snacks are created equal. In fact, choosing the right one might do more than curb your hunger — it could lower your cholesterol and improve heart health.
Recent research points to one standout option: pecans.
A Heart-Healthy Alternative
According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating pecans regularly may significantly improve cardiovascular health.
The 12-week clinical trial involved 138 adults, each with at least one risk factor for heart disease — including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, high blood sugar, or a high BMI.
Half the participants consumed their usual diet plus a moderate intake of pecans, while the other half consumed about 56 grams daily — roughly two handfuls.
By the end of the trial, both groups showed meaningful improvements in overall diet quality and cardiovascular risk markers.
“Replacing typical snacks with pecans improved key risk factors for heart disease, including blood cholesterol levels and dietary quality,” explained Kristina Petersen, associate professor of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State, in a statement.
As reported by El Economista, the study supports earlier findings from 2021, which showed that eating 68 grams of pecans daily for eight weeks led to nearly a 5% reduction in total cholesterol and up to a 9.5% drop in LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Nutritional Caveats
Still, moderation matters. A 30-gram serving of pecans contains nearly 200 calories, making portion control essential for those watching their weight.
Overconsumption could lead to digestive discomfort due to their high fiber and fat content, especially in people unaccustomed to fiber-rich foods. Excessive intake might also disrupt the dietary balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
Despite these considerations, incorporating pecans into a daily routine — in place of ultra-processed snacks — can increase overall diet quality by up to 17%, according to the same study.
For anyone looking to upgrade their snack game with something crunchy, satisfying, and genuinely good for the heart, pecans may be the ideal pick — as long as they don’t come by the bagful.
