Here’s a question for you: can you eat more fat, but less protein and carbohydrates, and still lower your bad cholesterol levels? You may be thinking that this has to be about the carnivore diet, but you would be wrong. It’s about nuts, specifically, pecans.

Researchers recruited overweight subjects with cholesterol levels that were higher than desirable. Then they asked the subjects to eat varying amounts of pecans, between 6%, 13%, and 20% of their daily caloric intake, with a control group that avoided nuts. After four weeks, both the 13% and 20% nut intake groups had a 12 mg/dl decrease in LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and a slight rise in HDL cholesterol (the good kind). The data showed that fat and fiber intake increased while carbs and protein decreased.

This is a small study with about 100 subjects divided into the various control and pecan intake groups. The interpretation of the results could go in many different directions — and that’s exactly what I’ll do in Saturday’s Memo. But I do see a pecan pie in my future.

Reminder that the Insider Conference Call is tomorrow night with the Guest Pass available. The topics are the parathyroid gland and lung cancer screening. I’ll also answer your questions. Join us tomorrow night at 9 p.m.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: J Nutr. 2026. doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101396