A commonality in human diets are nuts, specifically tree nuts. It is widely thought that tree nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and cashews are good for your body and decrease health risks. That is why tree nuts are a commonality in human diets. Just how healthy are tree nut and what type of health benefits does it have for humans? Let’s find out.
Multiple studies have been published in this topic. The first study that I am going to discuss was published in Oxford University Press Nutrition Journal. This study was an analysis of 36 studies, observational and experimental, on the health benefits of nuts. The analysis of these studies found that people who ate the most nuts had a 15% lower chance of getting cancer than people who ate the least amount of nuts. But, the study did not find a noteworthy difference in the risk for type 2 diabetes.
This study is strong because it is analysis of 36 different studies, which include many people and extensive research. The combination of experimental and observational studies also make this study a credible one. One downside to this study is that 3rd variables can come into play. The scientists who contributed to the study mentioned that while some studies that they included in their analysis tested for 3rd variables such as diet and BMI (Body Mass Index), not all studies did. This can taint the validity of the study because 3rd variables still come into play. Also, the scientists mentioned that it is a possibility that the people who ate the most nuts were just healthier overall. Therefore, the study can be credited as proof that eating nuts decreases health risks, but direct causation is not possible without further studies.
Another study that I am going to discuss was published in The New England Journal of Medicine on November 2013. This study included close to 120,000 participants. The participants answered a variety of questions about their diet at the beginning of the study, and then every 2-4 years during a 30 year follow-up period. The results of the study found that people who ate nuts everyday lived longer and had healthier lives than people who did not eat nuts every day. More specifically, people who ate nuts every day were less likely to die of cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease than people who did not eat nuts every day. Also, those who ate nuts were 20% less likely to have passed away during the follow-up period than those who did not eat nuts every day.
This study is one that can be proof that eating nuts is healthy for a human and reduces health risk. The main reason being the length of the study and the number of people that participated in it. The study had close to 120,000 participants. Therefore, the study covered a wide variety of people and ruled out some 3rd variables such as gender. Also, the 30 year follow-up period and all of the studies done during that period also make the study credible because of the extensive amount of data collected during that period.
In conclusion, the hypothesis that eating nuts can lower health risks is true. In the first study, a meta-analysis found that people who eat nuts had a 15% lower chance of getting cancer than people who ate the least amount of nuts than people that did not eat nuts. In the second study I talked about, a study found that people who ate nuts everyday were less likely to die of cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease than people who did not eat nuts every day. Although some 3rd variables are possible, these studies are still valid. Therefore, if you want to live longer, eat some nuts!
Sources:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1307352#t=abstract
http://nutritionreviews.oxfordjournals.org/content/73/7/409
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-nuts-linked-to-healthier-longer-life-201311206893
http://www.livescience.com/52895-walnuts-linked-health-improvements.html
http://www.allergysf.com/allergy-education/big-8-top-food-allergens/
As I scrolled down the blogs, your blog title certainly caught my attention. Off the bat, what I really liked about your post was that you immediately recognized the possible third variable variables in the first study, so I could already tell you were thinking scientifically. And as I’m sure you know from class, scientist’s intuition is lousy and is sometimes more observational than factual, so it is good that you picked up on that. While I agree that there was a large sample size and time period in the study, I am left wondering many things. For one, what exactly is it about nuts that makes it healthy for us long-term? And, is this implying that if we don’t eat nuts, we are destined for unhealthy lives? If so, then I don’t agree with the assumption that people who eat nuts live longer. However, I do recognize that nuts are a healthy food choice and that it is logical that these studies show healthier results on its participants. And lastly, whether it is nuts or any other food, quantity is the key to everything. Too much is never good and I can not imagine that endless handfuls of nuts will be good for your health, especially with all the sodium in it. With that being said, I would need to see more evidence and proof to be convinced of the long-term health benefits of nuts. Here’s an article that touches upon the benefits of nuts but with the right quantity.
It is always great hearing something that is so good can be good for you too. I love eating macadamia nuts and walnuts whenever i can. But i know that i have to keep it to a limit. Just like anything else, too much of something can be bad for the body. Even though nuts have been found to help lower the risk of heart disease and lower the risk of cancer, it can be bad for you if its consumed too much. This article gives three good reasons why too much can be bad and what the health risks are. It says it can cause weight gain, high blood pressure, and gastrointestinal problems. But all of this can be avoided if when adding nuts to your diet just eliminate another food that has the equivalent amount of calories to reduce weight gain. Also it’s better to eat the nuts raw without any salt or seasoning because that can cause blood pressure to increase. Lastly, to avoid any kind of gastrointestinal problems just set a limit for how much nuts you consume a day.