Guidelines for Early Food Introduction and Patterns of Food Allergy
Objective: We aimed to determine whether rates of peanut (or any) immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy (IgE-FA) changed following the publication of early peanut introduction guidelines and/or addendum guidelines. Methods: Using electronic health record data from the multistate, primary care-based American Academy of Pediatrics Comparative Effectiveness Research through Collaborative Electronic Reporting (CER2) network, we defined preguidelines, postguidelines, and postaddendum guidelines cohorts (cohort entry during September 1, 2012, to August 31, 2014; September 1, 2015, to August 31, 2017; and February 1, 2017, to January 31, 2019, respectively). We determined the cumulative incidence of IgE-FA and/or atopic dermatitis (AD) in children aged 0-3 years, observed for either at least 1 or 2 years. Diagnosis rates during pre- vs postguidelines periods were compared using logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards modeling, and interrupted time series analysis. Results: The cumulative incidence and risk of development of peanut IgE-FA (0.79%-0.53%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55-0.77) and any IgE-FA (1.46%-1.02%; HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.61-0.78) decreased significantly (P < .0001) from the preguidelines to postguidelines period. Furthermore, the cumulative incidence and risk of development of peanut IgE-FA (0.79%-0.45%; HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.46-0.66) and any IgE-FA (1.46%-0.93%; HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.55-0.72) decreased significantly (P < .0001) from the preguidelines to postaddendum guidelines period. A decline in IgE-FA diagnosis postguidelines was confirmed in the interrupted time series analysis. Conclusion: We detected decreased rates of peanut or any IgE-FA in the period following the publication of early introduction guidelines and addendum guidelines. Our results are supportive of the intended effect of these landmark public health recommendations.
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-070516
Daily Almond Supplementation Improves Blood Pressure and Lipid Profile in Pregnant Women with Hypertension and Dyslipidemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Background: Hypertension and dyslipidemia during pregnancy increase the risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. While almond supplementation is recognized for its cardioprotective effects in non-pregnant populations, its role during pregnancy remains underexplored despite its potential as a safe and accessible dietary intervention. Objective: To evaluate the effects of almond supplementation at two doses (10g/day and 25g/day) on blood pressure, lipid profile, and heart rate in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Methods: This single-center, 12-week randomized controlled trial enrolled 103 pregnant women (≥20 weeks gestation) with confirmed hypertension and/or dyslipidemia from Aga Khan Maternity Hospital, Karachi, with 46 participants meeting criteria for both conditions included in the primary analysis. Participants were randomized into three groups: no-intervention (NI, control), 10g/day almonds (A10), or 25g/day almonds (A25). Primary outcomes were changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, measured every 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes included serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL, HDL, and heart rate, assessed at baseline and Week 12. Data was analyzed using one-way and two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with post hoc testing (p≤0.05 considered significant). Results: At Week 12, SBP and DBP decreased significantly in both A10 (-13.7% and -5.8%) and A25 (-18.3% and -7.9%) compared to NI (-7.4% and -1.6%; p<0.001). TC, TG, and LDL levels improved dose-dependently, with the A25 group showing the greatest reductions in TC (-22.5%), TG (-33.8%), and LDL (-27.3%) (p<0.001). No significant differences were observed in HDL levels or heart rate across groups. Conclusions: Almond supplementation for 12 weeks significantly improved blood pressure and lipid profile in pregnant women with hypertension and dyslipidemia, especially at the 25g/day dose. These findings suggest almonds may serve as an adjunct dietary strategy to manage cardiometabolic risk in pregnancy. Future trials with larger samples and longer durations are warranted to evaluate sustained benefits and long-term outcomes.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.101270
Tariffs Timeline
Keep track of key developments as they unfold
To better help the industry stay abreast of developments impacting nuts and dried fruits, the INC has published this timeline of the key tariff-related events affecting the sector that have occurred since this issue took center stage in early 2025. This page will be updated regularly, so check back often to see where things stand. Last update: January 7, 2026.
January 20, 2025: Donald Trump takes office as US President.
February 1, 2025: Trump imposed a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on goods from China.
February 3, 2025: As Canada and Mexico were preparing retaliatory measures, Trump agreed to postpone implementation of the tariffs on both countries for at least 30 days.
February 4, 2025: The 10% tariff on China went into effect and China announced a series of retaliatory tariffs.
February 11, 2025: Trump ordered a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports from all countries, with date of application March 12.
March 3, 2025: Trump doubled the new tariff on China from 10% to 20%.
March 4, 2025: The US blanket tariff of 25% on Mexico and Canada took effect. Canada responded by imposing a 25% tariff on various US products, including peanut butter. The same day, China announced its own retaliatory measures, including an additional 10% tariff on most US tree nuts, dried fruits, and peanut butter, among other agricultural products (see table).
March 5, 2025: Backtracking partially, Trump granted a one-month reprieve on automotive tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
March 6, 2025: Trump said he would suspend the 25% tariff on products traded under the US–Mexico–Canada Agreement, but implied that other tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products would be coming in April.
March 12, 2025: The EU announced countermeasures in response to Trump’s 25% tariff on European steel and aluminum, which had come into effect that same day. This consisted of two parts:
- The suspension of existing countermeasures against the US from 2018 and 2020 would be allowed to lapse on April 1, whereupon 25% duties would come into effect on US peanut butter and dried cranberries.
- The EU put forward a package of new countermeasures on US goods, which were expected to come into force by mid-April, after a public consultation as well as consultation with EU Member States. The draft list of products that could be targeted by these measures included shelled and in-shell almonds.
March 20, 2025: The EU Trade Commissioner announced that the application of the measures affecting US peanut butter and dried cranberries would be pushed back from April 1 to mid-April, allowing time for negotiations. This move was meant to align the timing of the two tranches of EU countermeasures.
April 2, 2025: Trump announced expansive new tariffs. A baseline 10% tariff was announced for all imports into the US, with higher rates being applied to around 60 countries, including 34% for China, 20% for the European Union, 27% for India, 24% for Japan, 26% for South Korea, and 46% for Vietnam. The baseline 10% tariff was set to come into effect on April 5, while the higher tariffs were set to apply from April 9.
April 3, 2025: The European Commission President announced that the EU hoped to negotiate a solution with the US, but added that the Union was preparing for further countermeasures in case the negotiations fail. The same day, the UK announced a public consultation on potential countermeasures that could affect various nuts and dried fruits.
April 4, 2025: China announced that a 34% tariff would apply to all imports from the United States as of April 10.
April 5, 2025: The baseline 10% tariff announced by Trump on April 2 came into effect.
April 8, 2025: Trump imposed an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports, bringing the total tariffs on Chinese goods to 104%.
April 9, 2025: The higher, country-specific tariffs announced by Trump on April 2 briefly came into effect. The same day, China raised its own tariff on US goods, bringing the total rate to 84%. Trump then announced in a social media post that the US tariff on Chinese goods would be raised to 125%, effective immediately (although the White House later clarified that the rate was actually 145%). In the same social media post, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the country-specific tariffs that had been announced on April 2, bringing the rate charged on the affected countries down to the baseline rate of 10%. Also on April 9, the EU Member States voted on the countermeasures against the US.
April 10, 2025: The European Commission President took note of Trump’s announced 90-day pause, expressed readiness to negotiate, and said the countermeasures would be adopted but put on hold for 90 days.
April 11, 2025: China again raised its tariff on US goods, bringing the total rate to 125%.
April 14, 2025: The EU published two implementing acts, one that adopts the EU countermeasures, and another that immediately suspends them for 90 days. Here it is confirmed that a 25% tariff on US almonds is set to take effect on December 1. Application of the 25% duty on US peanut butter and dried cranberries is suspended until July 14.
May 8, 2025: The EU announced a public consultation on a list of US imports that could become subject to EU countermeasures if ongoing EU-US negotiations do not result in a mutually beneficial outcome and the removal of the US tariffs. The list of potentially affected products includes a broad range of nuts and dried fruits. The consultation will run until June 10, 2025.
May 14, 2025: The United States and China agreed to substantially reduce tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial period of 90 days, bringing US tariffs on Chinese goods down from 145% to 30% and lowering Chinese tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%.
May 23, 2025: Trump threatens to impose a 50% tariff on EU goods as of June 1, claiming that trade talks with the Union were “going nowhere.”
May 25, 2025: Trump drops the threat of a 50% tariff on EU goods after a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
May 28, 2025: U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that federal law did not allow Trump “unbounded authority” to place tariffs on imports from countries around the world. The Trump administration was given 10 days to remove the tariffs, but was expected to appeal the decision. If upheld, this decision would affect the tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada, as well as the baseline 10% tariff on all imports from all origins.
May 29, 2025: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ordered an administrative stay, allowing tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada, as well as the baseline 10% tariff on all imports from all origins, to remain in place during the appeals process. Oral arguments are scheduled for July 31.
June 20, 2025: U.S. Supreme Court declined to expedite review of a legal challenge alleging that Trump lacks the authority to authorize tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The case will move forward on the usual schedule and a ruling is expected later in the summer.
July 2, 2025: Trump announced a trade deal with Viet Nam, under which the US will apply a 20% tariff on Vietnamese goods (substantially lower than the suspended 46% rate that had been set to come into effect a week later), a 40% tariff will apply to transshipments to the US from third countries via Viet Nam, and Viet Nam will apply zero tariffs on imports of US goods.
July 7, 2025: Trump issued an executive order extending the suspension of the country-specific tariffs until August 1. On the same day, Trump posted on social media letters addressed to the leaders of 14 countries, detailing his intention to apply tariffs ranging from 25% to 40% on goods from the affected countries as of August 1.
July 9, 2025: Trump posted a similar letter to the leader of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, vowing to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods on August 1 unless Brazil stops the prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, as reported by the BBC. Lula replied by saying that Brazil would respond reciprocally to any increase in tariffs.
July 11, 2025: Trump announced 35% tariff on imports from Canada, effective August 1.
July 12, 2025: Trump announced 30% tariffs on imports from Mexico and the European Union, effective August 1.
July 14, 2025: EU delayed 25% tariff on US dried cranberries and peanut butter, among other products, until August 6 to give more time for negotiations.
July 20, 2025: In an interview with CBS News, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appeared to confirm that Canadian and Mexican goods that comply with the US–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) would continue to be exempt from the tariffs for now.
July 22, 2025: Trump announced trade deals with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan, under which the US will charge tariffs of 19%, 19%, and 15%, respectively, on goods from these countries.
July 24, 2025: The EU published countermeasures that will come into effect if no deal is reached with the US. The US products affected include peanut butter and dried cranberries (25%, from August 7); almonds (25%, from December 1); Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, peanuts, dates, dried apricots, dried figs, currants, sultanas, and prunes (30%, from September 7); pistachios, walnuts, and other dried grapes (30%, from February 7, 2026). The regulation makes no provisions for goods in transit.
July 27, 2025: The US and the EU announced a trade deal under which a 15% tariff will be charged on most EU goods entering the US. Additionally, zero-for-zero tariffs were agreed for various strategic products, including certain agricultural products. Further details were unavailable at the time of this report.
July 30, 2025: The US announced a 40% tariff on goods from Brazil, effective August 6, with an exception for in-shell Brazil nuts, among other products. Goods in transit arriving in the US by October 5 are also exempted. The same day, Trump announced that the US would charge a 15% tariff on South Korean imports.
August 1, 2025: Trump placed sweeping new tariffs on 70 different countries and territories, with rates ranging from 10% to 41%, effective August 7. Separately, Trump raised the tariff on Canadian goods from 25% to 35%, effective immediately, with an exception for goods that qualify for duty-free entry under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).
August 5, 2025: The EU published Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1727, which immediately suspends the countermeasures published on July 24, including hefty tariffs on all sorts of nuts and dried fruits, for a period of six months.
August 6, 2025: Trump signed an executive order that introduced an additional 25% duty on Indian goods entering the US, in retaliation for India’s purchases of Russian oil. This new duty, combined with an earlier 25% tariff announced by the US in late July, will bring the total US tariff rate on Indian goods to 50% as of August 27.
August 7, 2025: In response to the US imposing a 39% tariff on Swiss goods, Switzerland said that it would continue negotiations with the US and was not currently considering any retaliatory measures.
August 11, 2025: The US and China agreed to extend their tariff truce until November 10, maintaining the current US rate of 30% on Chinese goods and the Chinese rate of 10% on US goods and preventing both rates from spiking into the triple digits.
August 21, 2025: The EU and the US published a joint statement fleshing out further details of the framework agreement between the two economies.
August 28, 2025: The European Commission published a legislative proposal that would eliminate tariffs on certain US dried fruits and introduce a tariff rate quota (TRQs) for certain US tree nuts. The European Parliament and Council will have to approve the proposals under the ordinary legislative procedure before these measures can enter into force.
August 29, 2025: The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs, imposed on dozens of countries around the world, as well as additional tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada, are illegal. The tariffs will remain in place until October 14 and the Trump administration is expected to file an appeal with the US Supreme Court.
September 1, 2025: Canada removed most of its retaliatory tariffs against goods from the United States, including a 25% duty on US peanut butter.
October 25, 2025: Trump announced an additional 10% tariff hike on Canadian imports, triggered in part by a TV advertisement aired by a Canadian province (Ontario) that criticized US tariffs.
October 31, 2025: Trump announced the United States will lower tariffs on Chinese goods from 20% to 10% following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
November 4, 2025: Trump signed an Executive Order lowering the tariff on Chinese goods from 20% to 10%, effective November 10, 2025.
November 10, 2025: Following the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in October, China’s tariffs on nut and dried fruit imports from the US have been reduced by 10% compared with the first half of the year (click here for details on current rates on nuts and here for dried fruits).
November 14, 2025: Trump issued an Executive Order exempting the following tree nuts from the sweeping tariffs implemented via an Executive Order on April 2, 2025: Brazil nuts (in-shell and shelled), cashews (in-shell and shelled), macadamias (in-shell and shelled), and pine nuts (in-shell and shelled).
November 14, 2025: Trump agreed to lower tariffs on goods from Switzerland and neighboring Liechtenstein from 39% to 15%, in line with the rate applied to EU goods.
December 30, 2025: The European Union published an autonomous duty suspension affecting sweetened dried cranberries for the manufacture of products of food processing industries (excluding packing or pasteurization alone as processing). The 0% autonomous duty rate applies as of January 1, 2026.
Where things stand:
- US baseline tariff of 10% on all imports from all origins remains in effect.*
- US tariffs on the following countries and territories came into force on August 7, 2025: Afghanistan (15%), Algeria (30%), Angola (15%), Bangladesh (20%), Bolivia (15%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (30%), Botswana (15%), Brazil (10%), Brunei (25%), Cambodia (19%), Cameroon (15%), Chad (15%), Costa Rica (15%), Côte d’Ivoire (15%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (15%), Ecuador (15%), Equatorial Guinea (15%), European Union (15%), Falkland Islands (10%), Fiji (15%), Ghana (15%), Guyana (15%), Iceland (15%), India (25%), Indonesia (19%), Iraq (35%), Israel (15%), Japan (15%), Jordan (15%), Kazakhstan (25%), Laos (40%), Lesotho (15%), Libya (30%), Liechtenstein (15%), Madagascar (15%), Malawi (15%), Malaysia (19%), Mauritius (15%), Moldova (25%), Mozambique (15%), Myanmar (40%), Namibia (15%), Nauru (15%), New Zealand (15%), Nicaragua (18%), Nigeria (15%), North Macedonia (15%), Norway (15%), Pakistan (19%), Papua New Guinea (15%), Philippines (19%), Serbia (35%), South Africa (30%), South Korea (15%), Sri Lanka (20%), Syria (41%), Taiwan (20%), Thailand (19%), Trinidad and Tobago (15%), Tunisia (25%), Türkiye (15%), Uganda (15%), United Kingdom (10%), Vanuatu (15%), Venezuela (15%), Vietnam (20%), Zambia (15%), and Zimbabwe (15%).
- US applies an additional 25% tariff on goods from India in retaliation for India’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total US tariff rate on Indian goods to 50%.
- US–EU trade deal: US will apply a 15% tariff on most EU goods. The EU has proposed a 0% tariff on US dried fruit and a 0% tariff on US tree nuts with a 500,000 MT tariff rate quota (pending legislative approval). An autonomous duty suspension affecting sweetened dried cranberries for the manufacture of products of food processing industries (excluding packing or pasteurization alone as processing) took effect on January 1, 2026.
- US–Viet Nam trade deal: US will apply a 20% tariff on Vietnamese goods and a 40% tariff on transshipments from third countries via Viet Nam; Viet Nam will apply zero tariffs on imports of US goods. Starting date unclear.
- US–Japan trade deal: US will apply a 15% tariff on Japanese goods.
- US–Indonesia trade deal: US will apply a 19% tariff on Indonesian goods.
- US–Philippines trade deal: US will apply a 19% tariff on Filipino goods.
- US tariff on Brazilian goods stands at 40%. In-shell Brazil nuts excluded.
- US–South Korea trade deal: US will apply a 15% tariff on South Korean goods.
- US tariff on Canadian goods stands at 35%, with an exception for goods that qualify for duty-free entry under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). (At the time of this report, the 10% tariff hike on Canadian goods announced by Trump on October 25, 2025, had not yet been officially implemented.)
- US-Switzerland trade deal: US will apply a 15% tariff on goods from Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
* This tariff has been ruled unlawful by a US federal appeals court. The Trump administration filed an appeal with the US Supreme Court, which heard arguments on November 5, 2025. A decision in the case is expected in early 2026.
Global climate change and Macadamia habitat suitability: MaxEnt-based prediction under future scenarios
Global climate change poses a major challenge for contemporary forestry. Macadamia is an economically valuable tree genus that is widely cultivated across multiple countries and regions. However, few studies have focused on its adaptive distribution and spatiotemporal dynamics under projected global warming scenarios. In this study, we collected the global occurrence records of two commercial Macadamia species (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche and Macadamia tetraphylla L.A.S. Johnson) and employed a parameter-optimized MaxEnt model to project their suitable habitats under current and future climate scenarios. The optimized model exhibited excellent predictive performance (AUC = 0.979), with a regularization multiplier of 0.5 and linear-quadratic-hinge feature combination. Key bioclimatic variables include: annual Mean temperature (bio1), isothermality (bio3), min temperature of coldest month (bio6), annual precipitation (bio12), and precipitation of driest month (bio14), which collectively comprise 88.2% of the model's explanatory power. Under the current scenario, the most suitable cultivation areas were determined to be located in Australia, China, South Africa, Brazil, Madagascar, Argentina, and the United States. Compared with the current scenario, total habitat areas under future scenarios (specifically SSP126/585 in the 2030s and 2050s; SSP126/245/370 in the 2070s) are projected to increase by 1.13-7.51%, while reductions of 0.03-2.98% are projected under the other scenarios (SSP245/370 in the 2030s and 2050s; SSP585 in the 2070s). Notably, Brazil exhibits habitat reductions of 2.59-20.06% across all scenarios, while China shows increases of 0.70-45.11%. Furthermore, M. integrifolia was determined to exhibit greater cultivation potential and global expansion feasibility in range than M. tetraphylla. This study elucidates the dominant environmental drivers, current habitat suitability, and climate-driven shifts in Macadamia distribution, providing an empirical basis for sustainable cultivation under climate change.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1658566
Cashew nut protein concentrate as a potential ingredient for the emerging alternative protein industry
This study evaluated protein concentrates obtained from cashew nuts defatted by three different strategies: mechanical pressing (PE), hexane extraction (HE), and aqueous extraction (AE). Protein concentrates (PC-A, PC-P, and PC-H, from AE, PE, and HE, respectively) were produced through alkaline extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation. PCs were characterized for protein functionality, nutritional and chemical profiling. Protein contents were 59.34 % (PC-P), 85.45 % (PC-H), and 69.02 % (PC-A). All samples had high in vitro digestibility, above 90 %, and a balanced amino acid profile. Maximum protein solubility was achieved for all PCs at pH 8 and above (>50 %). PC-A showed superior oil-holding capacity and emulsifying capacity, similar gelation properties and reduced water holding capacity when compared to the other PCs. Overall, AE emerges as an ecofriendly alternative for producing high-quality cashew protein concentrate with less environmental impact than HE, while hexane extraction remains the most efficient method for oil removal.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146855
Processing and Real-Time Monitoring Strategies of Aflatoxin Reduction in Pistachios: Innovative Nonthermal Methods, Advanced Biosensing Platforms, and AI-Based Predictive Approac
Aflatoxin (AF) contamination in pistachios remains a critical food safety and trade challenge, given the potent carcinogenicity of AF-B1 and the nut's high susceptibility to Aspergillus infection throughout production and storage. Traditional decontamination methods such as roasting, irradiation, ozonation, and acid/alkaline treatments can reduce AF levels but often degrade sensory and nutritional quality, implying the need for more sustainable approaches. In recent years, innovative nonthermal interventions, including pulsed light, cold plasma, nanomaterial-based adsorbents, and bioactive coatings, have demonstrated significant potential to decrease fungal growth and AF accumulation while preserving product quality. Biosensing technologies such as electrochemical immunosensors, aptamer-based systems, and optical or imaging tools are advancing rapid, portable, and sensitive detection capabilities. Combining these experimental strategies with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models can increasingly be applied to integrate spectral, sensor, and imaging data for predicting fungal development and AF risk in real time. This review brings together progress in nonthermal reduction strategies, biosensing innovations, and data-driven approaches, presenting a comprehensive perspective on emerging tools that could transform pistachio safety management and strengthen compliance with global regulatory standards.
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193411
Mixed Nut Challenge Test (MixNut) as an Efficient Procedure in the Management of Lipid Transfer Protein Allergy
Background/Objectives: Lipid transfer protein (LTP) syndrome is a leading cause of primary food allergy in Mediterranean countries, often associated with severe reactions. Due to in vitro cross-reactivity among plant foods, clinical manifestations are unpredictable, frequently requiring multiple oral food challenges (OFC) to assess nut tolerance. These procedures increase healthcare burden and patient anxiety. This study evaluated the safety and utility of a mixed-nut oral food challenge (MixNut) in LTP-sensitized patients. Methods: In this prospective observational multi-center study, patients with LTP syndrome were enrolled. Group A included individuals allergic to fruits or vegetables who had avoided nuts; Group B included patients with suspected or confirmed nut allergy. Participants underwent a MixNut challenge comprising 2–4 nuts (≥3 g protein per nut). Results: Nineteen patients (73.7% male; median age 32.5 years) underwent MixNut, testing 52 individual nuts. All challenges were negative. The MixNut approach reduced the number of OFC by 63% (from 52 to 19) and total testing time from 208 to 76 h. Specific IgE levels to LTP allergens (Pru p 3, Cor a 8, Ara h 9) varied widely and did not predict clinical reactivity. Conclusions: MixNut is an efficient diagnostic tool for LTP syndrome, significantly reducing testing time, costs, and patient burden. It facilitates accurate dietary management and prevents unnecessary food avoidance. Further studies should optimize MixNut protocols and identify predictive markers for clinical reactivity.
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243822
The Association Between Nut Consumption and Risk of Depressive Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Background/Objectives: Accumulating evidence suggests that dietary factors such as nuts may play a role in depressive symptoms. Yet, existing evidence regarding the relationship between nut consumption and depressive symptoms remains inconsistent. To clarify this association, we conducted a meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed and Embase were searched for observational studies on the relationship between nut consumption and depressive symptoms published up to September 2025. Summary relative risks (SRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the DerSimonian–Laird random effects model. Results: A total of seven observational studies, comprising 70,136 participants, were included. Higher nut consumption was significantly associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms (SRRs = 0.75, 95% CIs, 0.67–0.85; p < 0.001, I2 = 15%, Pheterogeneity = 0.31). Compared to <1 time/week of nut consumption, the inverse relationship was significant for ≥3 times/week of nut consumption (SRRs = 0.75, 95% CIs = 0.63–0.89, p = 0.001, I2 = 0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.93), but not for 1 to <3 times/week of nut consumption (SRRs = 0.93, 95% CIs = 0.69–1.24, p = 0.62, I2 = 52%, Pheterogeneity = 0.10). Conclusions: Our meta-analysis of observational studies found that higher nut consumption was associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms, particularly when intake reached at least three servings per week. Further research, especially randomized controlled trials, is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms.
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243810
Consuming Tree Nuts Daily as Between-Meal Snacks Reduces Food Cravings and Improves Diet Quality in American Young Adults at High Metabolic Syndrome Risk
Background: Daily energy intake from snacking behaviors has increased over the past few decades, during which the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome has risen to epidemic proportions. There remains considerable room for improvement in the overall quality of dietary intakes of the U.S. population when compared to national recommendations. Food cravings may contribute to the types of snacks chosen for consumption, and thus, the frequency of foods and food groups consumed, and the overall nutritional quality of the diet. Methods: Eighty-four young (28.5 ± 4.3 years) adults with at least one metabolic syndrome risk factor participated in a parallel-arm single-blind randomized trial designed to compare effects of consuming a mix of tree nuts versus typical high-carbohydrate food items as between-meal snacks for 16 weeks. Cravings for 28 common foods via the Food Craving Inventory, short-term dietary intakes via 24 h multi-pass methodology, food group frequency via the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants, usual hunger and fullness via visual analog scales, appetite-regulating hormones, and diet quality via the Healthy Eating Index-2015 were measured at baseline and end of study. Results: Participants in the TNsnack group had significant decreases in cravings for high sweet items and fast-food items, which were associated with decreased frequency of desserts and salty foods along with increased intake of higher protein items. In contrast, no significant reductions in food cravings or preference for sweets were observed in the CHOsnack group. Decreased cravings for sweets by TNsnack participants were associated with increased total GLP-1 levels: cake (r = -0.35, p = 0.03), brownies (r = -0.44, p = 0.02), candy (r = -0.36, p = 0.03) and ice cream (r = -0.33, p = 0.04). Overall, the total diet quality score improved by 19% among TNsnack participants. Conclusions: Replacing more typical between-meal snacks with tree nuts may reduce food cravings, particularly for sweeter food items that are likely to be nutrient poor and energy dense. By reducing cravings and frequency of intake, consuming tree nuts as snacks could facilitate having a higher quality, more nutrient-dense diet and mitigate potential negative effects of snacking on metabolic health in young adults.
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17233778
Updated Dutch Dietary Guidelines Recommend Eating More Nuts
The Health Council of the Netherlands has released updated dietary guidelines that emphasize the importance of eating more nuts as part of a larger shift towards a more plant-based dietary pattern. The guidelines recommend that people consume 60% of their daily protein from plant sources, including 15-30 grams/day of unsalted nuts (including both tree nuts and peanuts). The previous version of the Dutch dietary guidelines, published in 2015, advised people to eat at least 15 grams of unsalted nuts daily.
In 2025, the permanent committee on nutrition undertook a revision of the guidelines for dietary patterns and protein sources: nuts, legumes, dairy, fish, meat, eggs, and meat substitutes and dairy substitutes. The guidelines are primarily based on the prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. In addition, the committee looked at food safety and—more extensively than before—at the environmental impact. The committee concluded that a more plant-based and less animal-based diet is better for health and benefits the environment.