Peanuts Promote Heart Health

Previously, a number of studies suggest cardiac and metabolic effects of consuming tree nuts – almonds, cashews, pecans, and macadamia nuts. Hung Luu, from Vanderbilt University (Tennessee, USA), and colleagues completed analysis of data compiled from three large ongoing cohort studies: 71,764 subjects enrolled in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), and 134.265 participants enrolled in the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS) and the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS). Subjects were surveyed for nut consumption habits at the study’ start.  Researchers accessed death registry data to identify a total of 14,000 deaths during the median follow-up periods of 5.4 years in the SCCS, 6.5 years in the SMHS, and 12.2 years in the SWHS. The team found that peanut consumption associated a 17 -21% reduction in total mortality, and 23-38% reduction in cardiovascular mortality among those subjects in the highest quartile nut intake group, as compared to the lowest quartile group.  Writing that: “Nut consumption was associated with decreased overall and cardiovascular disease mortality across different ethnic groups and among individuals from low [socioeconomic status] groups,” the study authors submit that: “Consumption of nuts, particularly peanuts given their general affordability, may be considered a cost-effective measure to improve cardiovascular health.”