Are nuts linked to longevity?
updated the Thursday, June 25, 2015If you fancy eating nuts in your daily diet then this might just be good news for you.
It’s a given that nuts possess a whole host of benefits for your health. Several studies from the US and Asia, have proven that regular consumption of nuts has a protective effect vis-à-vis to cardiovascular disease.
While that’s evidently true, recently, in a paper published by the International Journal of Epidemiology, a team of researchers from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands have also shown that nuts possess advantages that go well beyond the heart.
The study involved a group of 120,000 Dutch men and women aged 55 to 69 who were monitored since 1986. Now, from the results, doctors found that those who ate 10 grams of nuts or peanuts per day (about half a handful), had less risk of dying from cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative and respiratory diseases. However, no additional benefit was observed at higher doses.
Peanuts and nuts contain various compounds including mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They also contain vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants – the combination of which create the health benefits in nuts.
Peanut butter not included
During this study, peanut butter was also tested for its impact on longevity. Unfortunately, it does not have the same protective effects as a raw peanut. The researchers hypothesise that trans fats and salt in peanut butter reduces the health effects. Too bad for all the peanut butter lovers!
Maureen Diamant
