Health professional resource.

Consistent evidence, over several decades, demonstrates that nuts are cardioprotective foods.

Interest in the relationship between nut consumption and heart disease risk intensified following the 1992 publication of findings from the Adventist Health Study (1). This landmark study was the first to report that regular nut intake was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease.

Since then, a wealth of evidence has firmly established the role of nuts in cardiovascular risk reduction.

In the context of a heart-healthy eating pattern, regular nut consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (4).

A snapshot of the evidence

An umbrella review reported daily nut consumption to be inversely associated with both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence, and CVD mortality (2).

Compared with no nut intake, consuming a 28g handful of nuts and seeds per day was associated with the following relative risk reductions:

• 21% reduction in CVD
• 25% reduction in CHD
• 22% reduction in CVD mortality.

Evidence from several systematic reviews and meta-analyses further supports a protective effect of regular nut consumption on CVD and CHD risk (3-11).

Potential mechanisms

There are several mechanisms by which nuts may reduce this risk, including beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors such as blood lipids, blood pressure, inflammation, and markers of glycaemic control.

The cardioprotective effects of nuts are likely due to their unique nutritional profile and the synergistic action of multiple bioactive components.