In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleHow the Study Was ConductedWhat the Study FoundThe Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
How the Study Was Conducted
What the Study Found
The Bottom Line
Close
Photo:Jennifer Causey
Jennifer Causey
Pictured recipe:Rosemary-Garlic Pecans
What holiday party doesn’t have a bowl of nuts available to nosh on? Seriously, before you could buy pre-shelled nuts, a nutcracker wasn’t just a ballet.
While nuts tend to get a bad rap due to their fat and sodium content, the truth is that most of the fat in nuts is heart-healthy unsaturated fat and the sodium is added during processing (plus, there are several no-salt-added varieties available).
Evidence suggestsregularly eating nuts may improve cholesterol levels, help you lose weight and might even reduce your risk of colon cancer.
And now, a new study published on December 9, 2023, inNutrientssuggests eating nuts can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in young adults.
The good news is that metabolic syndrome can be prevented—and potentially treated—through lifestyle changes. And nuts might be a key factor to help you get there.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University recruited 84 young adults, ages 22-26, each with at least one risk factor for metabolic syndrome. The participants were randomly split into two groups—one group was instructed to replace their normal high-added-sugar, high-carb snacks with tree nuts and received snack packs of mixed nuts that included unsalted raw cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds and walnuts.
The other group was instructed to eat snacks high in carbohydrates. They received snack packs similar to the nut snack packs in terms of calorie, protein, fiber and sodium content. These packs included unsalted pretzels, graham crackers, animal crackers and Nutri-Grain/granola-type bars.
Participants were counseled on basic nutrition, including portion sizes, and received menus that were based on the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The number of calories each group ate was about the same to make the comparisons between each group at the end of the study more valid.
Participants also wore accelerometers, which are devices that record activity levels. This, too, was to increase the validity of the final comparisons between groups.
Baseline data was collected at the beginning of the study—blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, cholesterol and triglyceride levels and blood sugar levels—and again at the end of the study. Based on this information, each participant received a metabolic syndrome score, which graded their level of risk for getting metabolic syndrome.
At the end of the 16-week study period and after all the information was collected, researchers found that certain metabolic syndrome-related numbers improved in the nut intervention group. Specifically:
The study authors concluded that daily consumption of tree nuts can have a positive effect on metabolic syndrome risk factors, including waist circumference, lipid biomarkers (e.g., triglycerides and cholesterol) and insulin sensitivity—all without restricting calories.
As long as you don’t have a tree nut allergy, swapping your high-carb snacks with nuts may influence your health in a positive direction. Just be sure to mostly eat raw or roasted nuts, preferably with little to no added oils or salt.Too much salt might elevate blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and more over time.
Unlike high-added-sugar snacks that send your blood sugar soaring before the impending crash, snacking on nuts can also help stabilize blood sugar levels and keep you full and satisfied until your next meal.
Just note that a serving size of nuts is about 1 ounce. That’s about14 walnut halves, 18 whole cashews or 49 pistachios.
Of course, nuts aren’t a magic bullet, but they can be an important part of a balanced, variety-filled diet that includes plenty ofwhole grains, lean protein, fruits, vegetables and dairy (if you eat it).
But diet isn’t the only thing that can influence disease risk. Other lifestyle habits that contribute to reducing metabolic syndrome risk includephysical activity,managing sources of stressand getting plenty of quality sleep.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
