Using various nutrient-rich seeds promotes better health and longevity

“A handful of seeds each day keeps the doctor away – and may help you live longer,” according to new findings from two long-term studies by Harvard.

The co-author of the study, Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, stated: ‘We found that individuals who consume nuts daily live longer and are healthier than those who do not. The report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. People who eat nuts daily have a lower risk of death from cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases. Overall, those who consume nuts daily had a 20% lower risk of death during the study compared to those who avoided them, especially tree nuts.’

These findings were gathered from nearly 120,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Physicians’ Health Study. All answered questions about their diets at the start of the study in the 1980s and then every 2 to 4 years throughout the 30 years of follow-up. Researchers categorized participants into six types, from never eating nuts to consuming them 7 or more times per week. The more frequently people ate nuts, the lower their risk of premature death.

According to Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton, a medical professor at the University of Pennsylvania, these findings reinforce previous research that emphasized the benefits of nuts. Dr. Kris-Etherton said, ‘Consuming nuts reduces LDL (bad cholesterol), increases HDL (good cholesterol), and also lowers blood pressure as well as the response to stress. Her research also showed that regular nut consumption promotes a process called reverse cholesterol transport, where HDL particles in the blood sweep away plaques from clogged arteries. Harvard researchers pointed out that the components of nuts—fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals—may confer protective properties for cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, anti-inflammatory effects, and antioxidant benefits.’

Are you concerned that eating nuts might make you gain weight because they are high in fat? In fact, those who regularly ate nuts were less likely to gain weight in this study and others. Dr. Hu noted, ‘Nuts are high in protein and fiber, slowing down absorption and reducing the feeling of hunger,’ adding that nuts contain mostly healthy unsaturated fats.