New research suggests nuts and peanuts, but not peanut butter, could help protect against death from a variety of major causes.
The study revealed men and women who ate at least 10 grams of nuts or peanuts had a reduced risk of death than those who's diets did not included nuts, Maastricht University reported. The correlation was strongest for risks associated with respiratory disease, neurodegenerative disease and diabetes, but was also significant for cancer and heart disease risk.
To make their findings, the researchers looked at the Netherlands Cohort Study, which began in 1986 and includes over 120,000 Dutch men and women between the ages of 55 and 69. They assessed the participants' nut intake, including portion size and frequency.
The association between nut and peanut intake and reduced death risk back up previous findings from the American and Asian studies, which primarily focused on cardiovascular risks.
"It was remarkable that substantially lower mortality was already observed at consumption levels of 15 grams of nuts or peanuts on average per day (half a handful). A higher intake was not associated with further reduction in mortality risk. This was also supported by a meta-analysis of previously published studies together with the Netherlands Cohort Study, in which cancer and respiratory mortality showed this same dose-response pattern," said epidemiologist Professor Piet van den Brandt.
Peanuts and tree nuts contain compounds such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as various "vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds." These healthy properties could be the key to reducing one's risk of death from disease. No association was found between peanut butter consumption and reduced risk of mortality, but that could be because the spread contains other components such as high salt content and vegetable oil. Peanut butter has also been shown to contain trans fatty acids, meaning its composition is different from whole peanuts.
The findings were published in a recent edition of Oxford's International Journal of Epidemiology.
