The body of evidence about nuts and health continues to grow. These local and international research papers, published around February 2024, corroborate decades of research about the importance of a regular handful of nuts within a healthy diet.

Nuts and seeds – A scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. (Fadnes and Balakrishna, 2024).
This scoping review, of the best evidence to date on health outcomes from the consumption of nuts and seeds, informed the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Overall, it supports dietary recommendations to increase consumption to a serving of nuts and seeds per day. Among the conclusions, an intake of 28–30g/day of nuts, compared to not eating nuts, is estimated to translate to ~20% relative reduction in the risks of cardiovascular disease and premature deaths. And for cancers, consumption of a serving of nuts is inversely associated with cancer mortality.

Effects of energy restricted diets with or without nuts on weight, body composition and glycaemic control in adults: A scoping review. (Mead et al, 2024).
This scoping review, of seven previously-published studies, found that energy restriction (ER) (through either a set energy target, or reducing intake of 1,000-4,200kJ from daily energy requirements) resulted in significant weight loss. And the addition of nuts to ER diets resulted in significantly greater weight loss in around half the studies (4/7 studies). Interventions ranged from 4-52 weeks and contained 42-84g/day of almonds, peanuts, pistachios, or walnuts. No study revealed an adverse effect of nut consumption on health outcomes.

Almond supplementation on appetite measures, body weight, and body composition in adults: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of 37 randomized controlled trials. (Chahibakhsh et al, 2024).
This study analysed the results of 37 randomised controlled trials. Among the findings, was a significant reducing effect of almond consumption on body weight, waist circumference, fat mass, and hunger score, compared with control. Sub-group analyses showed significant and more favourable improvement in these indices with consumption of ≥50g almonds per day, when trials lasted for ≥12 weeks, and in people with a BMI <30 kg/m². Almond consumption did not influence indices such as BMI and body fat percent.

Nuts and seeds consumption impact on adolescent obesity: Sex-specific associations from 2003 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. (Yang et al, 2024).
This study explored the correlation between nut intake and overweight/obesity among adolescents (12-19 years), using data from the US-based National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, from 2003 to 2018. Among the findings, females who regularly consumed the most nuts (>57g/day – the highest quintile of intake), were less than half as likely to be overweight/obese, compared with those who never ate nuts. In males, nuts showed a protective effect against waist circumference growth. This suggests nuts and seeds may contribute to healthier physical development in adolescents.

Nuts and nutritional factors in management of male fertility: A review. (Nazari et al, 2024).
This narrative review summarises the literature on nuts and male fertility. The findings suggest a beneficial role for reproductive health, with evidence linking nut consumption with better semen quality and fertility in men. The authors also point out that the improvement in lipid stability, oxidative stress, inflammation indicators, and endothelial function, with nut consumption, can potentially contribute to better reproductive health, particularly in relation to age-dependent decreases in sperm quality and fertility.

Intake of pistachios as a nighttime snack has similar effects on short and longer-term glycemic control compared to education to consume 1-2 carbohydrate exchanges in adults with prediabetes: A 12-week randomized crossover trial. (Riley et al, 2024).
This 12-week randomised cross-over trial involved 51 US-based adults with pre-diabetes. It found consuming 57g of pistachios as a night time (after dinner and before bedtime) snack increased diet quality, but had similar effects on glycemic markers, lipids/lipoproteins, blood pressure, and vascular health as ‘usual care’ (education to consume 15-30g carbohydrate at night time). The authors say pistachios may be a convenient night time snacking option, as an alternative to carbohydrate-rich nighttime snacks, to improve adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Chronic almond nut snacking alleviates perceived muscle soreness following downhill running but does not improve indices of cardiometabolic health in mildly overweight, middle-aged, adults. (Siegel et al, 2024).
This randomized cross-over study, involved 25 mildly-overweight, middle-aged adults. They performed a 30-minute downhill treadmill run after 8-weeks of consuming either 57g/day of whole almonds, or an isocaloric amount of unsalted pretzels (control). Among the findings, muscle soreness measured during a physical task (vertical jump) was reduced by ~24% with almonds, compared with control. Almond consumption did not impact body composition, appetite, cardiometabolic health, mood, or well-being. 

Daily cashew and Brazil nut consumption modifies intestinal health in overweight women on energy-restricted intervention: A randomized controlled trial (Brazilian Nuts Study). (Kelly Souza Silveira et al, 2024).
This 8-week randomised controlled trial found consuming a combined 30g of cashews and 15g of Brazil nuts per day, within an energy-restricted context (−500kcal/day), positively impacted the gut microbiota profile of women with overweight or obesity. Compared with control, cashew and Brazil nut consumption increased faecal propionic acid and potentially-beneficial gut bacteria, such as Ruminococcus and Roseburia, and mitigated increased intestinal permeability.

Bean and nut intake were protective factors for comorbid hypertension and hyperuricemia in Chinese adults: Results from China Nutrition and Health Surveillance (2015–2017). (Piao et al, 2024).
Using nationally-representative data from the China Nutrition and Health Surveillance 2015–2017 survey, this first-of-its-kind cross-sectional study found sufficient bean (legume) and nut intake to be linked with a lower risk of both hyperuricemia and hypertension (HH) (OR = 0.734, 95% CI = 0.611–0.881). It also verified the negative effects of alcohol intake on these conditions. HH are both independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and public health concerns in China, especially amongst males.  

Partial substitutions of animal with plant protein foods in Canadian diets have synergies and trade-offs among nutrition, health, and climate outcomes. (Auclair et al, 2024).
This research used a combination of data to assess the impact (on nutrition, health and climate outcomes) of partially substituting red and processed meat or dairy with plant protein foods in Canadian diets. The substitutions resulted in minor changes to the percentage of the population below requirements for nutrients of concern, but increased calcium inadequacy (by up to 14% when dairy was replaced). Replacing red and processed meat or dairy increased life expectancy by up to 8.7 months or 7.6 months, respectively. Diet-related greenhouse gas emissions decreased by up to 25% for red and processed meat, and by up to 5% for dairy replacements.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with anxiety and stress but not depression: A cross-sectional analysis of community-dwelling older Australians. (Allcock et al, 2024).
This cross-sectional analysis of 294 older Australians (≥60 years) showed that adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) was inversely associated with severity of symptoms related to anxiety and stress. However, adherence to a MD was not related to depressive symptoms. In addition, it found that certain individual dietary components within a MD, including fruit, nuts, legumes, and a low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (<250mL per day), were inversely associated with the severity of symptoms related to anxiety and stress.

Plant foods intake and risk of premature aging in adult survivors of childhood cancer in the St Jude Lifetime Cohort (SJLIFE). (Wang et al, 2024).
This prospective cohort study explored associations between plant food intakes and premature aging (assessed by the ‘deficit accumulation index’) amongst 3,322 adult survivors of childhood cancer, from the St Jude Lifetime Cohort. It found dark green vegetables, and nuts/seeds, were associated with a lower risk of premature aging. Conversely, refined grain intake was related to an increased risk. Fruit and whole grain intakes were not linked with premature aging risk. Among the nutrients abundant in plant foods, dietary folate intake was linked with a lower risk.