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

Effects of peanut butter supplementation on older adults’ physical function: A 6‐month randomised controlled trial. (Feyesa et al, 2026).
This study examined whether daily peanut butter supplementation for six months, compared with usual care, could enhance physical function in community-dwelling older adults at risk of falls. A total of 120 participants aged 65 years and older were randomly allocated to consume 43g of peanut butter/day (n = 60) or continue with usual care (control, n = 60). Physical performance measures were assessed at baseline and after six months and included tests of functional mobility, balance, lower-limb strength and power, gait speed, and body composition. The results showed that daily peanut butter intake improved sit-to-stand performance time and muscle power. However, no significant effects were observed for gait speed, overall muscle strength, or body composition.

Dose response effects of pecan consumption on blood lipid profiles in adults with excess body weight and/or dyslipidemia: A randomized controlled trial. (Guadagni et al, 2026).
This four-week, single-blind, parallel design, randomised controlled trial involved 109 adults, aged 25-75 years. Daily pecan intake at both 13% and 20% of total daily energy intake (~45.5g/day and 71 g/day, respectively), significantly reduced fasting levels of total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, ApoB, non-HDL cholesterol, and the TC/HDL cholesterol ratio in adults with excess body weight and/or dyslipidemia. No lipid-lowering effects were observed with pecans at 6% (21.4g/day) of daily energy intake or control. While previous research has shown that daily pecan consumption improves fasting blood lipid profiles at doses of ≥57g/day, these findings provide the first evidence that a more moderate daily intake (~45.5 g/day) also confers cardioprotective benefits.

Long-term effects of almond consumption on cognitive performance and brain vascular function: A randomized crossover trial in overweight/obese adults with prediabetes. (Adams et al, 2026).
This randomised, single-blinded, controlled crossover trial included overweight/obese men and women with prediabetes. Participants were assigned to a 5-month almond (50g/day) intervention and a 5-month control period, separated by a 2-month washout period. Thirty-four adults completed the study. No significant intervention effects were observed on any cognitive performance outcomes (psychomotor speed, executive function, and memory). And compared to the control period, long-term almond consumption had no significant impact on cerebral blood flow, a marker of brain vascular function. More well-designed, long-term intervention studies are needed in this area.

Almond supplementation improves acne lesions and skin microbial diversity in adults with mild to moderate acne vulgaris. (Moitra et al, 2026).
This randomised, controlled, parallel-group study, involved Indian men and women aged 18-35 years with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris. Over 20 weeks, the experimental group (n = 36) consumed 60g/day of whole, unsalted almonds with skin, while the control group (n = 38) received isocaloric cereal-pulse snacks. The almond group had greater reductions in total lesion counts (−22.2% vs. −9.8%) and improvements in lesion volume, area, and height. Skin microbial diversity increased, and psychosocial outcomes – including acne-related quality of life and anxiety – also improved. These results suggest almonds may complement standard acne treatment – supporting both skin and metabolic health.

Nuts about pemphigus? A cross-sectional investigation into the role of nuts intake in modulating disease severity. (Fallah et al, 2026).
This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between severity of the rare, chronic autoimmune disease, pemphigus vulgaris (PV), and the consumption of nuts. While no significant association was found between individual nut types and PV severity, individuals with the highest total nut intake (including peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios) were 92% less likely to experience increased PV severity, compared with those with the lowest intake. The findings suggest that higher total nut consumption is inversely associated with PV severity. However, prospective cohort studies are needed to validate these results.

Dietary interventions for sleep health: Multi-population and mendelian randomization evidence on sleep outcomes and disorders. (Lin et al, 2026).
In this study, using multinational data sets, researchers examined multiple dietary patterns and specific food across various sleep phenotypes. The analysis revealed two key findings. Firstly, greater adherence to the Mediterranean, Dietary Approached to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) dietary patterns was associated with improved sleep outcomes. And secondly, it revealed distinct effects of specific food components on sleep outcomes. Among the findings was a consistent, protective association from legumes, nuts, and whole grains. And food processing degree critically determined sleep disorder risk.

Legumes and nuts intake in relation to sleep duration and quality, oxidative stress and inflammation in Iranian adults. (Jabbari et al, 2026).
This cross-sectional study included 535 Iranian adults aged 20–65 years. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire, and sleep metrics were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Higher consumption of legumes and nuts was significantly associated with lower odds of short sleep (fully adjusted OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.33–0.94) and poor sleep quality (fully adjusted OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31–0.85), with dose-response effects. And the findings were more pronounced in women. These results suggest that increasing legume and nut intake may improve sleep quality and quantity among Iranian adults.

The role of peanuts and tree nuts in improving diet and sleep quality: A pilot study and literature review. (Tindall et al, 2026).
This pilot study, involving 46 US undergraduate students, examined nut consumption, diet quality, and sleep using three 24-hour dietary recalls and self-reported sleep metrics. Most reported days did not contain nuts (86%), yet on the days that nuts were consumed, diet quality and sleep quality were significantly improved – though within-participant comparisons (n = 12) showed no significant sleep differences. An additional review of four clinical trials, which formed part of this research, found effects of nuts on sleep quality varied by nut type, dose, timing, and participants. Overall, nuts may improve diet and potentially support sleep, but further trials are needed in this area.

Association between plant-based diets and incident dementia: Results from prospective cohort studies and a meta-analysis. (Shen et al, 2026).
This study integrated data from three, large prospective cohort studies – together involving more than 17,900 participants, aged ≥45 years and free of dementia at baseline. It found that better adherence to a healthful plant-based diet was linked to a lower dementia risk. The main contributors to this lower risk were higher intake of vegetables, nuts, tea/coffee, and legumes. In contrast, an unhealthful plant-based diet was linked with increased risk. A meta-analysis showed that those with the highest adherence to a healthful plant-based diet had 21% lower dementia risk, while those with an unhealthful plant-based diet had 24% higher risk. The results suggest dietary guidelines should recommend increasing consumption of healthier plant foods to help prevent cognitive decline.

Dietary protein intake in relation to metabolic syndrome reversion: Findings from the Tehran lipid and glucose study. (Gaeini et al, 2026).
This study examined the association between dietary protein intake from different sources and MetS reversion, over a median follow-up of 7.6 years in Iranian adults. It revealed complex and source-specific associations. Among the findings, moderate animal protein intake was associated with lower likelihood of ‘any-phase MetS reversion’ (HR: 0.68), while moderate poultry consumption was linked to higher rates of both ‘any-phase’ (HR: 1.47) and ‘early-phase reversion’ (HR: 1.58). Conversely, higher intakes of dairy products and nuts were associated with reduced ‘early-phase reversion’ (HR: 0.52 and 0.57, respectively). These findings highlight the importance of considering protein quality and source, rather than total intake, when designing dietary interventions for metabolic health.

Association between red meat intake and diabetes: A cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of US adults (NHANES 2003-2016). (Ba et al, 2026).
This cross-sectional study included 34,737 US adult participants (mean age 45.8 years) from NHANES 2003-2016. It found that higher intake of total, processed, and unprocessed red meat was linked with higher odds of diabetes, compared to lower intake. Substituting alternative dietary components, particularly plant-based protein sources, for red meat was associated with lower odds of diabetes. Specifically, substituting one serving/day of dietary protein from foods of plant origin (including nuts, seeds, legumes, and soy) for total, processed, or unprocessed red meat was associated with 9% to 14% lower odds of diabetes.