The are different studies concluding that a frequency nut consumption is inversely related to mortality risk. 2015 is drawing to an end and it is now time to think on your new year’s resolutions. Maybe, you are within that group of people who are thinking of introducing healthier dietary habits. Modern lifestyle forces us to cope with stress and thousand of obligations that, when they are not being properly faced up, may lead to unhealthy eating habits. Should you be in that situation, you must know that nuts may help you to take care of your health. Apart from being an excellent nutritional complement, nuts are associated with a longer lifespan in both men and women. There are different studies concluding that a frequency nut consumption is inversely related to mortality risk.
The largest one was published in 2013 in the prestigious journal New England Journal of Medicine.
Conclusions showed that people eating nuts as a daily routine had a 20% lower death rate compared to those who did not consume nuts. Those who reported regularly consuming nuts seven or more times a week were less likely to die from a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. More than 118,000 men and women were enrolled in this study. Participants were asked about their frequency of nut consumption (serving size, 28 g).
In fact, this is considered the largest study to date because it involved three-decades of work. Participants filled out surveys on food and lifestyle habits every 2 to 4 years since the beginning of the study in the 80s. A recent study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology points to similar conclusions.
Benefits of nuts on health
More scientific evidence has been found in the study published in BMC Medicine. Its conclusions showed a reduction of 39% in total mortality in those participants consuming more than 3 serving of nuts per week. A similar protective effect against cardiovascular and cancer mortality was observed. Researchers evaluated more than 7,000 men and women aged 55 to 80 years randomized to 1 out of 3 interventions (Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts or olive oil and a control diet).
The median follow-up was of 4.8 years. Nut consumption was associated with a significant reduced risk of all-cause mortality.
Benefits of nuts for our health lie in its nutritional composition. Nuts are a complex matrix of fiber, protein, minerals, unsaturated fats and vitamins, which may provide cardioprotective, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
As it has been observed, benefits of nuts intake in our health are related to eating them in a proper amount and in the context of a healthy diet. It implies a handful of nuts (28 g/day). Thereby, just a handful of nuts per day may help you to protect against cancer, heart diseases and diabetes. These are powerful reasons to reinforce your eating habits by including nuts in your lifestyle.
