Imperial College
London
A large analysis of
current research shows that people who eat at least 20g of nuts a day have a
lower risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases.
The analysis of all
current studies on nut consumption and disease risk has revealed that 20g a day
-- equivalent to a handful -- can cut people's risk of coronary heart disease
by nearly 30 percent, their risk of cancer by 15 percent, and their risk of
premature death by 22 percent.
An average of at least
20g of nut consumption was also associated with a reduced risk of dying from
respiratory disease by about a half, and diabetes by nearly 40 percent, although
the researchers note that there is less data about these diseases in relation
to nut consumption.
The study, led by
researchers from Imperial College London and the Norwegian University of
Science and Technology, is published in the journal BMC Medicine.
The research team analysed 29 published studies from around the world that involved up to 819,000 participants, including more than 12,000 cases of coronary heart disease, 9,000 cases of stroke, 18,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and more than 85,000 deaths.
While there was some
variation between the populations that were studied, such as between men and
women, people living in different regions, or people with different risk
factors, the researchers found that nut consumption was associated with a
reduction in disease risk across most of them.
Study co-author
Dagfinn Aune from the School of Public Health at Imperial said: "In
nutritional studies, so far much of the research has been on the big killers
such as heart diseases, stroke and cancer, but now we're starting to see data
for other diseases.
"We found a
consistent reduction in risk across many different diseases, which is a strong
indication that there is a real underlying relationship between nut consumption
and different health outcomes. It's quite a substantial effect for such a small
amount of food."
The study included all
kinds of tree nuts, such as hazel nuts and walnuts, and also peanuts -- which
are actually legumes. The results were in general similar whether total nut
intake, tree nuts or peanuts were analysed.
What makes nuts so
potentially beneficial, said Aune, is their nutritional value: "Nuts and
peanuts are high in fibre, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fats -- nutrients
that are beneficial for cutting cardiovascular disease risk and which can
reduce cholesterol levels.
"Some nuts,
particularly walnuts and pecan nuts are also high in antioxidants, which can
fight oxidative stress and possibly reduce cancer risk. Even though nuts are
quite high in fat, they are also high in fibre and protein, and there is some
evidence that suggests nuts might actually reduce your risk of obesity over
time."
The study also found
that if people consumed on average more than 20g of nuts per day, there was
little evidence of further improvement in health outcomes.
The team are now
analysing large published datasets for the effects of other recommended food
groups, including fruits and vegetables, on a wider range of diseases.
