It’s true! Not only are nuts of all kinds delicious, satiating, and packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, but research has proven a link between eating nuts and a longer life. Numerous studies show that eating nuts lowers blood cholesterol, the risk of cardiovascular disease, congestive heart disease, and adverse cardiac events.
The benefits of nuts are not limited to cardio-protection. Evidence has shown an inverse effect between eating nuts and cognitive decline. And research related to cancer risk and nuts has shown an association between eating nuts and a lower risk of cancer, particularly cancer of the GI tract.
Add this to the list of nut benefits: eating a serving of nuts a day while eating a Mediterranean-style diet was shown to lead to modest weight loss and a lower waist-circumference.
There’s more! The selenium found in nuts helps to regulate insulin and blood sugar levels, which helps those with diabetes better control their blood sugar, and possibly plays a role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
To reap the many benefits of nuts, add a serving (1 ounce or a small handful) of raw, unpeeled, and unprocessed nuts to your daily diet! Go Nuts!
References
Eat Nuts, Live Longer∗ | Journal of the American College of Cardiology (jacc.org)
The effect of nut exposure on cognitive performance (news-medical.net)
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.