Phytochemicals are plant compounds that have been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases.  Examples include: Flavonoids—a class of water-soluble plant pigments, some of the best-known are genistein in soy and quercetin in onions; and Phytosterols—including plant sterols and plant stanols. Plant sterols are naturally occurring substances present in the diet as minor components of vegetable oils. Plant stanols, occurring in nature at a lower level, are hydrogenation compounds of the respective plant sterols.  While more research is needed, especially regarding human absorption of these healthful compounds, the following table provides an overview of some the phytochemicals found in nuts.

Flavonoids and Phytosterols in 100g of Tree Nuts

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Phytochemical

Units

Almonds

Brazils

Cashews

Hazelnuts

Macadamias

Pecans

Pine nuts

Pistachios

Walnuts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Flavonoids

mg*

199.00

0.00

11.00

513.00

0.00

528.00

0.50

250.00

70.00

Anthocyanidins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cyanidin

mg

2.46

0.00

0.00

6.71

0.00

10.74

0.00

6.06

2.71

Delphinidin

mg

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

7.28

0.00

0.00

0.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Proanthocyanidins

mg

184

0

9

501

0

494

0

237

67

Monomers

mg

7.77

0.00

6.66

9.83

0.00

17.22

0.00

10.94

6.93

Dimers

mg

9.52

0.00

2.02

12.51

0.00

42.13

0.00

13.26

5.65

Trimers

mg

8.82

0.00

0.00

13.56

0.00

26.03

0.00

10.51

7.19

4-6mers

mg

39.97

0.00

0.00

67.72

0.00

101.43

0.00

42.24

22.05

7-10mers

mg

37.68

0.00

0.00

74.60

0.00

84.23

0.00

37.93

5.41

Polymers

mg

80.26

0.00

0.00

322.44

0.00

223.01

0.00

122.46

20.02

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flavan-3-ols

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Epicatechin

mg

0.60

0.00

0.93

0.22

0.00

0.82

0.00

0.83

0.00

Epicatechin 3-gallate

mg

0.00

0.00

0.15

0.00

 

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

Epigallocatechin

mg

2.59

0.00

0.00

2.78

0.00

5.63

0.49

2.05

0.00

Epigallocatechin 3-gallate

mg

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.06

0.00

2.30

0.00

0.40

0.00

Catechin

mg

1.28

0.00

0.90

1.19

0.00

7.24

0.00

3.57

0.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flavanones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eriodictyol

mg

0.25

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Naringenin

mg

0.13

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flavonols

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isorhamnetin

mg

7.05

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Kaempferol

mg

0.52

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

0.00

Quercetin

mg

0.36

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Phytosterols

mg

120.00

n/a

158.00

96.00

114

102

141.00

214

72

Stigmasterol

mg

4.00

n/a

n/a

1.00

0.00

3.00

n/a

4

1

Campesterol

mg

5.00

n/a

n/a

6.00

7

5.00

n/a

10.00

7

Beta-sitosterol

mg

111.00

n/a

n/a

89.00

107

89.00

n/a

199

64

 

*mg = milligram; n/a = not available

Source:  Flavonoid data from USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods, Release 2; Phytosterol data from USDA Nutrient Database Standard Reference, Release 19, 2006;   Proanthocyanidin data from USDA Database for the Proanthocyanidin Content of Selected Foods, 2004.  Prepared by the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation, 2007