The momentum for nuts and heart health initially started following the publication of a landmark study in 1992, "A possible protective effect of nut consumption on risk of coronary heart disease". The study concluded that regular nut eaters had half the risk of heart disease, compared to those who didn't eat nuts.

Decades on, and the evidence for nuts and heart health continues to grow. The body of evidence suggests that a regular intake of nuts is associated with improvements in heart health indicators, including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and the LDL: HDL cholesterol ratio, as well as reductions in mortality from cardiovascular and coronary heart disease.

Elizabeth Neale explains the research and the mechanisms by which nuts contribute to heart health.

About today's guest

Dr Elizabeth Neale is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian. She completed her PhD in nutrition at the University of Wollongong in 2012. Elizabeth currently works as a Career Development Fellow (Lecturer) at the University of Wollongong. Elizabeth's research focuses on the evidence-based framework in nutrition, with a particular focus on systematic reviews and meta-analyses in nutrition. Elizabeth's research also explores the impact of nut consumption on risk factors for chronic diseases.

Supporting resources

Nuts and heart health - A summary of the evidence 2019

A possible protective effect of nut consumption on risk of coronary heart disease. The Adventist Health Study (1992)

Credits

Host: Belinda Neville

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