Regularly eating a handful of nuts could drastically cut your odds of having a stroke, according to a major new study (1).

The research, just published in the journal Nutrients, found frequent nut consumers (those who ate a handful of nuts ≥ 5 times/week) were 19% less likely to have a stroke, compared with those who rarely or never ate nuts.

Did you know? Despite their heart health benefits, Australians are not consuming enough nuts – with just 2% eating the recommended handful (30g) of nuts a day (2). 

The study tracked more than 179,000 male and female US-based veterans between 2011 and 2018, for an average of 3.5 years. Over that time, 3,641 of these study participants had a stroke.

This ‘Million Veterans Program’ study is one of the largest to look at nut consumption and risk of stroke.

New Australian Health Survey data shows that, on an average day, 100 Australians have a stroke (3). And heart disease remains Australia’s biggest killer, causing 17,500 deaths in 2018.

Other key findings:

People who ate nuts at least five times a week were:

• 22% less likely to suffer from coronary artery disease, and
• 24% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The well-respected PrediMED randomised controlled trial found a reduced risk of CVD in study participants who ate a Mediterranean-style diet with added olive oil or nuts.

What makes nuts heart healthy?

Nuts have a unique nutritional make-up.

They are rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (which helps keep LDL-cholesterol low), protein, fibre (which helps stops cholesterol being absorbed in the body), plant-sterols, and vitamins and minerals (including magnesium, potassium and calcium, which can help lower blood pressure).

Nuts also contain L-arginine, resveratrol, phytosterols, flavonoids and phenolic acids – all of which are cardioprotective.

A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that substituting red meat with nuts and other high-quality plant foods, such as soy and legumes, led to improvements in CVD risk factors (4).

The bottom line

In good nuts for nut lovers, this major new study confirms the heart health benefits of nuts. Eating a handful of nuts at least five times a week is a ‘can-do’ way to drastically cut the likelihood of stroke. And if you also aim to include enough whole grains, vegetables, fruit and legumes in your diet too, your risk can be reduced even further.