Consistent evidence, over many decades, shows that nuts help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), making them a key staple in a heart-healthy eating pattern.

Heart Week is a timely reminder for all Australians to prioritise heart health. This Heart Week (4-10 May 2026), Australians are being urged to ‘never miss a beat’ by talking about heart health with a health professional, and taking positive steps to reduce heart disease risk.

Did you know? Cardiovascular disease affects more than 4.5 million Australians (around 18% of the population). It’s a major cause of death in Australia – responsible for around one in four deaths, and kills on average one person every 12 minutes (1).

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are varied – and some of these, such as family history, age and sex, can’t be changed. However, certain modifiable lifestyle factors, such as not smoking and doing enough physical activity, can reduce the risk.

Another important factor that can help reduce the risk of heart disease is what we eat – and that’s where nuts can help!

The heart-health benefits of nuts

Regularly eating nuts, as part of a heart-healthy eating pattern, reduces the overall risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) (2-5).

Did you know these five nuts and heart health facts?

• A daily handful of nuts, compared to eating no nuts, can reduce the risk of developing CVD by 21% and coronary heart disease by 25% (2).

• For people with heart disease, eating nuts can reduce the risk of dying from it (2,4).

• Eating nuts positively impacts a wide range of CVD risk markers (3,5), such as reducing total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B.

• The Heart Foundation recommends a 30g handful of unsalted nuts every day (10).

• Economic modelling has found that, in just one year, at least $281 million could be saved in health care expenditure due to CVD if every Australian were to eat a 30g serve of nuts every day (6).

Did you know? Despite their heart-health benefits, Australians are not consuming enough nuts – with just 2% eating the target of 30g of nuts a day (7). 

Why are nuts so heart healthy?

Nuts are nutrient-dense whole foods that contain these heart-healthy substances:

Unsaturated fats. The ‘good’ mono- and poly-unsaturated fats in nuts can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. Among other things, they help to reduce blood triglycerides levels.

Fibre. All nuts contain fibre – predominantly the insoluble type, which is best known for supporting gut health and weight management. Both insoluble and soluble fibre contribute cardiovascular benefits.

Antioxidants. The antioxidants vitamin E, riboflavin, selenium, manganese, copper, zinc and polyphenols are all found in nuts. They protect the body’s cells from damage caused by oxidation, a process linked with the risk of developing heart disease.

Phytosterols. Nuts naturally contain phytosterols (plant sterols), which help lower blood cholesterol by reducing the amount that the body absorbs.

Arginine. The amino acid arginine helps blood vessels remain flexible and less prone to blood clots.

Nuts are also naturally low in saturated fat (which makes up <15% of the total fat in nuts) and sodium, and contain no dietary cholesterol.

Did you know? Research shows that nuts support a healthy body weight (8,9). They do not cause weight gain. Instead, regular nut consumption supports weight management over time.

The bottom line

Decades of research shows that nuts help support heart health, making them a key staple in a heart-healthy eating pattern. So, as part of Heart Week (and beyond), enjoy a healthy handful (30g) of nuts every day. Choose unsalted, roasted or raw varieties as a snack, and add nuts to salads, cereal, smoothies, soups, or stir-fries.

Did you know? Nuts are an integral food within many evidence-based, heart-healthy dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean and DASH diets.