Effect of chronic consumption of almonds on body weight in healthy humans

Small changes of diet may reduce CVD risk. One example is the inclusion of nuts. They are rich in fiber; unsaturated fatty acids and phytonutrients. However; their fat content and energy density raise concerns that chronic consumption will promote weight gain. Randomized intervention studies are required to evaluate whether this concern is well founded. This […]

Consumption and portion sizes of tree nuts; peanuts and seeds in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohorts from 10 European countries

Tree nuts; peanuts and seeds are nutrient dense foods whose intake has been shown to be associated with reduced risk of some chronic diseases. They are regularly consumed in European diets either as whole; in spreads or from hidden sources (e.g. commercial products). However; little is known about their intake profiles or differences in consumption […]

The potential of nuts in the prevention of cancer

Cancer is a disease that is characterized by the loss of genetic control over cell growth and proliferation; mainly as a result of the exposure to environmental factors. Cessation of smoking and a high consumption of fruits and vegetables are the most important means of reducing the risk of cancer in our society. Like fruits […]

Tree nuts and the lipid profile: a review of clinical studies

Tree nuts have a fatty acid profile that favourably affects blood lipids and lipoproteins. They are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fatty acids and are rich sources of other nutrients. An extensive database consistently shows total and LDL cholesterol-lowering effects of diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in unsaturated […]

Food allergy: nuts and tree nuts

Nuts are a well-defined cause of food allergy; which affect approximately 1 % of the general population in the UK and the USA. There do appear to be differences in the frequency of nut allergy between different countries because of different dietary habits and cooking procedures. For example; in the USA and France; peanuts are […]

Health benefits of nuts: potential role of antioxidants

A diet rich in fruits; vegetables and minimally refined cereals is associated with lower risk for chronic degenerative diseases. Since oxidative stress is common in chronic degenerative disease; it has been assumed that dietary antioxidants may explain this protective effect. Every dietary plant contains numerous types of antioxidants with different properties. Many of these antioxidants […]

Nuts: source of energy and macronutrients

On the basis of the high fat content of nuts; they are traditionally considered as foods that provide a high amount of energy. However; epidemiologic and clinical observations do not indicate an association between nut intake and increased BMI. There is a notorious variability in macronutrient composition among nuts; although they have some consistent patterns. […]

Nut consumption in Spain and other countries

In countries of the Mediterranean region; nuts have been consumed in moderate quantities since ancient times. Epidemiological studies show lower risk of cardiovascular diseases in populations with frequent nut consumption; independent from other dietary components. This article assesses nut consumption in Spain and other countries using different sources of data collected at the country; household […]