We are all constantly bombarded with contradicting messages about what we should and should not be eating.  However, there does seem to be some consistency with the benefits of eating nuts.  Many media outlets are today reporting that eating just half a handful of nuts every day could significantly decrease the risk of early death.  That is the message from a Dutch study where researchers found people had a 23 per cent lower chance of early death after eating 10g of nuts a day.

Previous studies into the benefits of eating nuts have highlighted a link with cardiovascular health, but this is the first to look at specific nuts and diseases.  This study though saw more than 120,000 Dutch people aged between 55-69 years-old provide medical details and their mortality rate was looked at ten years later.  

There was an average 23% lower risk of 10-year mortality across all diseases, with a decrease of:

45% for neurodegenerative disease

39% for respiratory disease

30% for diabetes

There was no good news for lovers of peanut butter though … there are no recorded benefits highlighted by eating peanut butter – this might not come as a surprise as it is high in unwelcome fats, salt and sugar.

What’s in a nut?

monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids

various vitamins

fibre

antioxidants

other bioactive compounds

Would you like to improve nutrition within your organisation?  Healthy Performance offer a range of workshops available under this topic, including energy levels, food labelling, weight management, eat to perform and many more.  Throughout the sessions we use interactive methods to engage staff and take the approach of ‘balance’ and eating in moderation.  Our team can also be on site answering questions about individual nutritional requirements.  If you would lie to discuss nutrition within your organisation please call the HP Team on 01295 230120.