Study says nut eaters have lower risk of cancer, heart disease

[Hum]

DALLAS ?  Help yourself to some nuts this holiday season: Regular nut eaters were less likely to die of cancer or heart disease ? in fact, were less likely to die of any cause ? during a 30-year Harvard study.

Nuts have long been called heart-healthy, and the study is the largest ever done on whether eating them affects mortality.

Researchers tracked 119,000 men and women and found that those who ate nuts roughly every day were 20 percent less likely to die during the study period than those who never ate nuts. Eating nuts less often also appeared to lower the death risk, in direct proportion to consumption.

The risk of dying of heart disease dropped 29 percent and the risk of dying of cancer fell 11 percent among those who had nuts seven or more times a week compared with people who never ate them.

The benefits were seen from peanuts as well as from pistachios, almonds, walnuts and other tree nuts. The researchers did not look at how the nuts were prepared ? oiled or salted, raw or roasted.

A bonus: Nut eaters stayed slimmer.

"There's a general perception that if you eat more nuts you're going to get fat. Our results show the opposite," said Dr. Ying Bao of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Researchers don't know why nuts may boost health. It could be that their unsaturated fatty acids, minerals and other nutrients lower cholesterol and inflammation and reduce other problems, as earlier studies seemed to show.

She led the study, published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.

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[DocM]

Interesting they included peanuts since they aren't a nut but a bean. Still, not a surprise.

[_neutrino Veteran]

I love pistachios they just cost Far too much.

[DocM]

Cashews for me - totally addicted.

[Buttus]

almonds all the way for me!  then a close 2nd is walnuts

[Cute James]

Brazil nuts are the best!

 

Unfortunately, they're not available over here...

[The Evil Overlord]

How old is this study?

This has been known for a long time in the UK. I remember studies lime this as a child.

Surely this new study is just a re statement in the US

[LimeMaster]

I'm glad I hate nuts and have only had them a couple of times in the past.

[Hum]

Interesting they included peanuts since they aren't a nut but a bean. Still, not a surprise.

The articles does not say peanuts are nuts:

 

The benefits were seen from peanuts as well as from pistachios, almonds, walnuts and other tree nuts.

[+Raze Subscriber²]

Then I may live to at least 80. YAY!

I'm nuts about nuts! :shifty:

[DocM]

The articles does not say peanuts are nuts:

The benefits were seen from peanuts as well as from pistachios, almonds, walnuts and other tree nuts.

That wording is too ambiguous to imply their not being nuts. It could just as easily imply they were that largest part of the studied "nuts."

[Growled Member]

I keep a can of peanuts close by all the time. Love them. :)

[metallithrax]

So, the fact I also eat fatty foods, drink beer, eat crap foods, is counter acted by my eating peanuts/nuts.  That's nice to know. :woot:

[Growled Member]

My wife said this article is the perfect example why women are more healthy than men. I told her not to give up her day job. :D

[Hum]

I keep a can of peanuts close by all the time. Love them. :)

Me too -- chocolate covered :p