By Belinda Neville, Dietitian
They are a supermarket staple, an easy grab and go snack, but did you know that a humble handful of nuts is also a powerhouse of health?
Research has uncovered a range of health benefits of eating nuts, from a healthier heart, brain and gut, to supporting weight management (yes, it’s true!).
Despite this, Australians are not eating enough, with just 2% meeting the target of a handful a day.
Here are five reasons to get your daily dose of these tasty morsels:
1. They can help lower the risk of dementia
It sounds almost too good to be true, but new research suggests that eating as little as one nut a day could lower the risk of dementia by 20%. The greatest benefit was seen among people eating at least five grams of nuts a day, roughly three to four nuts, whose risk of developing dementia was 24% lower than those who ate none at all.
Researchers believe it’s the combination of omega-3 healthy fats, vitamin E, magnesium and antioxidants in nuts that helps keep brain cells healthy and reduces inflammation.
2. They can help reduce cholesterol
Nuts are packed with heart-healthy unsaturated fats and are rich in phytosterols, which can help reduce cholesterol. They also contain amino acids and antioxidants, all of which play a role in keeping our hearts healthy.
In fact, research shows that eating a daily handful of nuts can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death in Australia, by 21%, and the risk of dying from it by 22%. Given how common heart disease is, that’s a remarkable return for such a small dietary change.
3. They support weight management
This is the one that surprises most people. Nuts are energy-dense foods, so it seems logical to assume they’d contribute to weight gain. But research consistently shows the opposite: regularly eating nuts actually reduces, rather than increases, measures of adiposity such as body weight, body mass index and waist circumference.
Our bodies don’t absorb all the energy from nuts, and the combination of protein, fibre and healthy fats helps keep us feeling fuller for longer, which can naturally curb overeating later on.
4. They’re nutrient powerhouses
Nuts are among the most nutrient-dense foods we can eat, containing at least 28 different nutrients and compounds, including essential vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, protein, fibre and phytochemicals.
Research suggests it’s this unique combination of nutrients and bioactive compounds working together, rather than any single nutrient alone, that gives nuts their incredible health benefits.
5. They improve digestion and gut health
Nuts (and especially their skins) provide fibre, which plays a major role in digestive health. We know that people who eat high-fibre diets have lower rates of constipation, haemorrhoids and diverticular disease compared with those who eat less fibre.
Eating nuts may also increase the growth of good bacteria in the gut. Nuts act as a prebiotic, essentially food for the healthy probiotic bacteria already living in our gut, which in turn benefits our gut microbiota, one of the hottest topics in nutrition right now.
The takeaway: Eating a handful of nuts (30g) could be one of the simplest things you do for your long-term health. There’s never been a better time to start reaching for a healthy handful.
Learn more about the health benefits of nuts here.
