If you find yourself reaching for the biscuits around 10am, you’re not alone. I can’t help myself – they’re just so moreish and go wonderfully with a scalding-hot brew.
But I’m well aware that biscuits aren’t doing wonders for my health. So, I recently switched to nuts instead. (Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the odd biscuit, just not every day.)
My go-to mid-morning snack is now a handful of nuts (I’m currently enjoying cashews and almonds) in a mini plastic container with one or two dates thrown in for a bit of sweetness.
And there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that such a snack swap could work wonders for my health.
In fact, it’s one of the food types that longevity expert and author of Young Forever, Dr Mark Hyman, admitted he eats regularly.
In a TikTok video he revealed: “Nuts are so important. They’ve been shown to extend life, to cause reduction in diabetes ... They’re full of minerals, fat, protein, fibre. They’re one of nature’s superfoods.”
The health benefits of nuts
A massive Harvard study of over 100,000 people found that people who ate nuts every day lived longer than those who didn’t.
Physician Dr Michael Greger discussed the findings: “Daily nut consumers had fewer deaths from cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease, even after controlling for other lifestyle factors.
“Nut consumers lived significantly longer whether they were older or younger, fat or skinny, whether they exercised more, smoked, drank, or ate other foods that may affect mortality.”
Another study discovered that people who ate just 20g (a handful) of nuts a day reduced their risk of coronary heart disease by nearly 30%, their risk of cancer by 15%, and their risk of premature death by 22%.
Study co-author Dagfinn Aune, from Imperial College London which carried out the study, said: “We found a consistent reduction in risk across many different diseases, which is a strong indication that there is a real underlying relationship between nut consumption and different health outcomes.
“It’s quite a substantial effect for such a small amount of food.”
The study included all kinds of tree nuts, such as hazel nuts and walnuts, and also peanuts – which are actually legumes.
Eating a handful of nuts daily has also been linked to better mental health – one study associated it with a 17% lower risk of depression.
Can you overdo it?
Yes, you can. As with anything food-related, you should consume nuts in moderation as eating too many can cause some unpleasant side effects.
For starters, they are nutrient- and calorie-dense, so keeping portions to a handful a day is important if you want to remain a stable weight.
“More importantly, eating too many nuts can actually lead to food toxicity which can range from mild symptoms to severe illness,” warn experts at University Hospitals.
Symptoms of overdoing it in the nut department include diarrhoea, gas, bloating, mouth ulcers, and even kidney stones.
It’s also important to be mindful of allergies – in the UK, about one in 200 adults and one in 50 children have a nut allergy.
If you’re trying a nut for the first time, have a tiny amount to begin with and watch for a reaction.