Three in four health professionals (72%) believe Australians should eat nuts daily, and none thought nuts should be limited in the diet, according to a first-of-its-kind Australian study (1).

The joint University of Wollongong and University of Otago study, just published in Nutrients, surveyed 204 Australian-based health professionals on their knowledge of the health benefits of nuts and whether or not they recommend them.

Eighty-four per cent of survey respondents were dietitians/nutritionists, and 16% were other professionals, including practice nurses, naturopaths and medical professionals.

Did you know? A secondary analysis of Australian Health Survey data found just 2% of Australians ate the recommended 30g of nuts a day, and 60% of Australians reported eating no nuts at all (5).  

Summary of the findings:

• The majority of health professionals (76%) agreed that nuts are healthy, high in protein, high in fat, and filling.

• Sixty-three per cent of health professionals advised at least some of their clients to eat more nuts. This was higher among dietitians/nutritionists (68%), compared with non-dietitians/nutritionists (31%).

• The most common reasons for advising clients to eat more nuts were: for good health/because nuts are nutritious (82%), because nuts are a good source of protein (74%), and because nuts are a good source of healthy unsaturated fats (74%).

• Overall, almost three-quarters (72%) of health professionals correctly identified that current dietary recommendations suggest including nuts in the diet daily.

• Dietitians/nutritionists were more likely to agree that nuts are healthy and do not cause weight gain (75%), compared to other professionals (60%). The lower result among non-dietitians/nutritionists contrasts the evidence that nut consumption is not associated with weight gain (2,3).

• Just 39% of non-dietitians/nutritionists advised clients to eat more nuts to help decrease risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), despite the current evidence base for a unique role of nuts, within a healthy diet, in reducing the risk of CVD (4).

Did you know? A survey of 167 US-based registered dietitian nutritionists and dietetic technicians found that overall respondents believe nuts are healthy and do not contribute to weight gain (8). Among the findings, 99% agreed that nuts are healthy and 70% said they recommend nuts. And while 88% agreed they were high in energy, 93% disagreed that adding nuts to the diet causes weight gain – and 84% agreed they could aid in weight loss.

The bottom line

Health professionals play a crucial role in getting more Australians eating enough nuts.

Nuts are healthy, whole foods recommended in dietary guidelines across the world. And evidence strongly supports the many health benefits of regular nut consumption. Despite this, nut consumption in Australia (as in many countries) is chronically low.

Better knowledge of the nutrition and health benefits of nuts among health professionals, together with advice to eat a healthy handful (around 30g) of nuts daily, will go a long way towards improving nut intake among Australians.

Ultimately, this will help improve population health!

Did you know? Research suggests that consumers are more likely to increase their nut intake if a doctor advises them to do so (6,7).