The body of evidence about nuts and health continues to grow. These local and international research papers, published around December 2023, corroborate decades of research about the importance of a regular handful of nuts within a healthy diet.

Modelling the replacement of red and processed meat with plant-based alternatives and the estimated effect on insulin sensitivity in a cohort of Australian adults. (Goode et al, 2023).
This Australian modelling study found regularly replacing one serve of red meat (65g of cooked meat) each day with one serve of plant foods (such as 30g nuts, or 75g legumes), may result in higher insulin sensitivity – which typically predicts lower type 2 diabetes risk. It involved 783 participants from the long-running ‘Childhood Determinants of Adult Health’ cohort study. The study authors say their findings support prioritising plant-based sources of protein, which are vastly under-consumed in Australia.

Life expectancy can increase by up to 10 years following sustained shifts towards healthier diets in the United Kingdom. (Fadnes et al, 2023).
This modelling study, using data from 467,354 participants in the UK Biobank cohort, estimated how sustained dietary changes could impact life expectancy. Among the findings, sustained dietary change from ‘unhealthy’ to ‘longevity-associated dietary patterns’ was associated with 10.8 and 10.4 years gain in life expectancy in males and females, respectively. The largest gains were obtained from consuming more whole grains and nuts, and less sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats.

Nut consumption and fertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (Cardoso et al, 2023).
This systematic review and meta-analysis, of four studies involving 875 participants, explored the link between nut intake and fertility in males and females. The meta-analysis showed that daily consumption of at least two servings of nuts (≥ 60g nuts/day) increased sperm motility, vitality, and morphology (within a typical Western-style diet), compared with controls, but had no effect on sperm concentration. The authors say more high-quality trials on nut intake as a strategy for infertility treatment are needed, including in females.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seeds and by-products in metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disorders: A systematic review of clinical studies. (Cervelim Nunes et al, 2023).
This systematic review, of 19 clinical studies, assessed the effects of peanuts (or foods containing peanut) on metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. They suggest peanuts could improve metabolic parameters, such as insulinemia, waist circumference, and atherogenic indices – making them a sustainable and low-cost option for preventing and treating MetS and CVD, thanks in part to their rich phytochemical profile. They say further research is needed to understand the full benefits of peanut consumption.

Substitution of animal-based with plant-based foods on cardiometabolic health and all-cause mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. (Neuenschwander et al, 2023).
This systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies involved 37 publications (24 cohorts). The findings suggest that shifting from a diet high in animal-based foods, especially red and processed meat, to plant-based foods (eg. nuts, legumes, and whole grains) is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Among the findings, replacing red meat (50g/day) with nuts (10-50g/day), and swapping processed meat (50g/day) for nuts (28-50g/day), was linked with a reduced risk of death from any cause, with a moderate certainty of evidence.

Evaluation of protein adequacy from plant-based dietary scenarios in simulation studies: A narrative review. (Soh et al, 2023).
This review provides a summary of dietary models simulating plant-based diets and outlines the main nutritional outcomes for protein, when animal proteins are substituted with plant proteins.  Among the findings, protein intake from plant-based diet simulations was lower than from diets with animal-sourced foods, but still met country-specific nutrient requirements. And protein adequacy was generally dependent on the choice of substitution – with legumes, nuts and seeds providing greater protein intake and quality than cereals.

Dietary fiber intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. (Ramezani et al, 2023).
This systematic review and meta-analysis, of 64 prospective cohort studies with a total of >3.5 million participants, found that higher consumption of total dietary fibre significantly reduced the risk of all-cause mortality, CVD-related mortality, and cancer-related mortality – by 23, 26 and 22%, respectively. Also, dietary fibre from whole grains, cereals, and vegetables was linked with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, while dietary fibre from nuts and seeds reduced the risk of CVD-related death by 43%.

A dietary model of partial meat replacement with walnuts demonstrates changes in the nutrient profile and quality of the United States population’s diet. (Spence et al, 2023).
This modelling study, of US-based children and adults who did not consume nuts, found the partial replacement of meat with walnuts improved overall diet quality. For the modelling, walnuts replaced meat in a dose-escalating manner (14g, 28g, 42g, 56g walnuts per day, replaced 28g, 56g, 84g, 112g meat, respectively). The partial replacement of meat with walnuts led to significant increases in the mean intake of fibre, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids, and significant decreases in cholesterol and vitamin B12, with no significant changes in iron, among children and adults.