A few nuts a day… keeps the doctor away
People who eat a small handful of nuts a day (around 28 grams) have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, according to this review. Results show that regular nut-eaters were 24 per cent less likely to suffer from heart disease and 27 per cent less likely to die from it, compared to those who ate the least.
Nut-eaters were also 18 per cent less likely to die from stroke and 15 per cent less likely to have atrial fibrillation. In 16 studies, which included 819,448 people and 85,870 deaths, high nut-eaters were 19 per cent less likely to have died during the study than low nut-eaters.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide and a major cause of premature mortality, causing an estimated 31 per cent of all deaths globally.
This adds to a substantial body of evidence showing how nuts protect heart health. In the UK, adults eat just six grams of nuts a day on average.
Glenn AJ, Aune D, Freisling H et al. 2023. Nuts and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Review of the Evidence and Future Directions. Nutrients. 15 (4) 911.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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