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.

Effect of a nut-enriched low-calorie diet on body weight and selected markers of inflammation in overweight and obese stable coronary artery disease patients: A randomized controlled study. (2021).

This randomised controlled trial compared the effects of a ‘nut-enriched’ low-calorie diet with a ‘nut-free’ low-calorie diet, on body weight and inflammatory markers in overweight or obese adults with coronary artery disease. Sixty-seven adults took part in the eight-week study. Participants in both groups lost a similar amount of weight, confirming that eating nuts within a weight management diet can still lead to weight loss. The nut group also had improvements in some inflammatory markers (ICAM-1 and IL-6), which were not seen in the nut-free group.

The effect of nut consumption on diet quality, cardiometabolic and gastrointestinal health in children: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. (2021).

An Australian review paper has found that eating nuts improves kids’ diet quality. Children aged 8-18 years who ate nuts had better intakes of essential nutrients, including mono- and polyunsaturated fats, protein and fibre. The review considered the outcomes of four randomised controlled trials, lasting between three and 16 weeks, and in which nut consumption ranged from 15-30g. The review also found that far less is known about the health benefits (specifically, cardiometabolic and gastrointestinal) of nuts for children, compared with the wealth of evidence in adults.

Nut consumption and the prevalence and severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (2020).

This first-of-its-kind study looked at the effect of nut consumption on the prevalence and severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Overall, 1,984 people diagnosed with NAFLD were assessed, based on their nut intake (no consumption, or <1 time/week, 1–6 times/week, 1 time/day and ≥2 times/day). Overall, nut consumption ≥1time/day was inversely linked with NAFLD. But following subgroup analysis, this inverse association was only confirmed in men. Interestingly, those who ate nuts 1–6 times/week had a significantly lower prevalence of advanced fibrosis.

Consumption of dietary nuts in midlife and risk of cognitive impairment in late-life: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. (2020).

This prospective cohort study looked at data from 16,737 participants in the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Intake of nuts was assessed at 45–74 years old (mean age = 53.5 years), and cognitive function at 61–96 years old (mean age = 73.2 years). Cognitive impairment was found in 2,397 people. Compared with those who consumed <1 serving/month of nuts, participants who consumed ≥2 servings/week had a 21% lower risk of cognitive impairment. This appeared to partly mediated by unsaturated fatty acid intake.

Nut consumption for cognitive performance: A systematic review. (2020).

This review looked at the link between nut intake and cognitive performance. Twenty-two studies, involving 43,793 adults, were included in the review. The researchers found a lack of consistency across the studies when it came to study design, the types of nut used, and the cognitive outcomes measured. As a result, they concluded that, to date, the evidence is inconsistent when it comes to nut consumption having a protective effect on cognition. They found that studies targeting populations with a higher risk of cognitive decline tended to have a more favourable outcome.

Effects of daily almond consumption for six months on cognitive measures in healthy middle-aged to older adults: A randomized control trial. (2021).

This randomised controlled trial looked at the impact of almonds on cognition in healthy, middle-aged/older adults (50–75 years). Subjects were assigned to either: 1.5 oz/d almond, 3 oz/d almond, or 3.5 oz/d snack (control group). Serum analyses for tocopherols, oxidative status and inflammation, and cognition were assessed at baseline, and 3 and 6 months later. At 6 months, alpha-tocopherol concentrations increased by 8% in the 3 oz almond group, but did not increase in the other groups. There was no change over time in cognitive function among the groups. But there was a significant improvement in some cognitive measures in the 3 oz/d almond group at 6 months.

Cashew nut consumption increases HDL cholesterol and reduces systolic blood pressure in Asian Indians with type 2 diabetes: A 12-week randomized controlled trial. (2020).

This randomised controlled trial is the first to look at the effect of cashew consumption on blood pressure, serum lipids, body weight, and glycemia in Asian Indian adults with type 2 diabetes. Three hundred adults were randomly assigned to either a standard diabetic diet (control), or a similar diet plus 30g cashew nuts/day (intervention), for 12 weeks. It found that cashew consumption reduced systolic blood pressure and increased HDL cholesterol, without increasing body weight, waist circumference, glycemia, or other lipid markers. 

Walnut consumption, plasma metabolomics, and risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. (2020).

This study aimed to identify plasma metabolites linked with walnut consumption and to evaluate the prospective associations between these and the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It analysed plasma metabolomics data from 1,833 adults (mean age = 67 years) at high cardiovascular risk. Nineteen metabolites (including lipids, purines, acylcarnitines, and amino acids) were associated with walnut consumption and also with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and CVD in the Mediterranean-based population at high cardiovascular risk.

Protein foods from animal sources, incident cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: A substitution analysis. (2021).

This research pooled the data from six prospective cohort studies, collectively involving 29,682 people. It calculated risk differences for substituting one or more animal protein foods with other animal or plant protein foods at various amounts, and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. Substituting eggs, processed meat, unprocessed red meat or poultry with nuts, whole grains, legumes or fish was linked with a lower risk of CVD and premature death. The magnitude of this depended on the amount and number of animal protein foods substituted.