Medical expert of the article
New publications
Nuts reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
American scientists have found that nut lovers, despite their bad habits, are less likely to die from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. To such conclusions they came, having analyzed the data which have accumulated almost for 30 years.
In recent years, such research has acquired a great popularity in academia, so they do not require experiments or clinical observations. Scientists only need to take questionnaires of population surveys, develop a mathematical model, make calculations and find the relationship.
In the new work of scientists on the benefits of nuts, scientists analyzed tests of health workers (more than 40 thousand men and more than 70 thousand women) who regularly took surveys for 30 years. At the initial moment of testing, people had no signs of any disease (cancer, heart disease, stroke, etc.) and they were relatively healthy. Every 2 to 4 years, the health data of the survey participants and eating of nuts were updated.
Because nuts are different, the statistical model takes into account their total number, which people used. Conditionally, the nuts were divided into two groups - peanuts (peanuts) and other species. Nut-lovers who ate them every day also consumed a lot of vegetables and fruits, unlike those who did not eat nuts at all. Regarding bad habits, alcohol was used more by amateurs to chew nuts - in 2, 5 times. According to the data, those who ate nuts daily, died less often from diseases of the cardiovascular system, cancer, type 2 diabetes.
But to accurately establish the relationship between nut consumption and longevity, experts tried to exclude the influence of other factors (cigarettes, alcohol). Although in the end they were forced to admit that it was never possible to determine such a relationship to the end.
The Office for Quality Control of Food and Drugs in America has since 2003 classified nuts as a valuable food product and recommends that they be consumed at least 43 grams daily, in order to prevent cardiovascular disease. Especially useful are almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts.
One study showed that 7 walnuts a day reduces the level of bad cholesterol by 10%, and good cholesterol raises by 18%. Nuts are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. They also have monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.
Previously, it was believed that nuts and seeds provoke inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, but in 2008, after a number of studies, the opinion about nuts changed radically. However, despite all the benefits, nuts can be harmful. First of all, these are allergic reactions that they can provoke, the champion among allergens is peanuts. In addition, in peanuts there are substances that suppress the activity of digestive enzymes, as a result of the process of digestion of food in the intestines is difficult. Also, careful use requires almonds. In bitter almonds, there is poison - amygdalin, which is a derivative of cyanide, so you should not abuse these nuts.
[