Effects of Peanut Consumption on Postprandial Inflammation, Glucose and Triglycerides

This pilot study will investigate the effects of acute peanut consumption on markers of inflammation, triglycerides and glucose. The hypothesis is that a high glucose/SFA meal will increase postprandial production of the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP), and that the addition of peanuts to the control meal will reduce the production of CRP, as well as triglycerides and glucose.

Previous research has demonstrated that a single meal high in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and glucose can induce increases in IL-6, TNF-α and CRP in abdominally obese and diabetic subjects. As over two-thirds of the U.S. population is overweight or obese, it is important to identify foods that can attenuate postprandial increases in lipids, glucose and inflammation in this population. Therefore, the purpose of the pilot study is to determine whether a high SFA / high glucose control meal will induce an acute inflammatory response in overweight individuals, and whether the addition of peanuts to this meal will ameliorate this response. To ensure that these effects are due to peanuts, and not to the increase in total fat, we will compare this response to another test meal that includes an oil blend with a similar fatty acid composition to peanuts.