After tracking the diets and health outcomes of more than 100,000 people for three decades, the study team found those who tossed back roughly 1 ounce of nuts each day were 20 percent less likely to die during the 30-year study period. Breaking down those findings, nut eaters were 29 percent less likely to die from heart disease. And, somewhat surprisingly, those who ate nuts regularly were actually slimmer than those who did not, the research shows. There was already a hefty pile of medical evidence indicating nut consumption can protect you from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. But this new study is the most compelling evidence yet that eating nuts can extend your life, says the study’s senior author, Charles S. Fuchs, MD, MPH, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber. Why are nuts so healthful? “The short answer is, we’re not sure,” Dr. Fuchs says. Nuts are a complex food. There are a number of nutty compounds—amino acids, phytochemicals, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals—that, alone or in combination, could explain the food’s health benefits, he adds. But smart money’s on nuts’ generous quantities of monosaturated fat, a key component of the Mediterranean-style diet that more and more research shows can safeguard your health and your waistline. Try to eat an ounce of nuts everyday, Dr. Fuchs advises. “We really didn’t see a difference across nut types,” he says, so feel free to snack on your favorite. One ounce is equivalent to roughly 20 almonds, 18 cashews, or 30 peanuts. If you can’t manage a handful a day, try to get at least some nuts into your diet. Even people who ate them just a couple times a month experienced a 7 percent drop in all-cause mortality, Fuchs’s research shows. For the biggest benefit, throw some nuts into a smoothie. The more you break nuts down before swallowing them—whether through chewing or blending—the more healthy nutrients your body absorbs, finds research from Purdue University. More from Prevention: The Healthiest Nut You’re Not Eating
