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A recent study found that various compounds in peanuts and tree nuts can prolong your life due to the protective effect they may have on your heart and brain tissue.
Past research had also shown that there is a significant link between peanut and tree nut consumption and lower risk of death.
Researchers also found that 15 grams of either food per day can help both men and women have a lower mortality risk from various types of diseases than people who do not eat tree nuts and peanuts on a daily basis.
“It was remarkable that substantially lower mortality was already observed at consumption levels of 15 grams of nuts or peanuts on average per day,”
noted Piet van den Brandt, lead author of the study and professor at Maastricht University, in the Netherlands.
There was no difference in the benefits peanut and tree nuts may bring in male and female participants, researchers said. Also, there was no significant difference between the benefits peanuts and nuts may have.
On the other hand, researchers found no health benefits in peanut butter. They believe that the saturated fatty content somehow offsets the benefits of peanuts.
During their research, Dutch scientists sifted through data available on 120,000 Dutch adults with ages ranging from 55 to 69 years. The data dated back to 1986 when the Netherlands Cohort Study was started.
Participants were surveyed on their peanut, peanut butter and tree nut consumption. They were asked how often and how much they ate those foods. The answers were later compared to the causes of death and risk of mortality for every participant.
A series of U.S. and Asian studies had shown that nuts and peanuts had protective effects on the cardiovascular system and reduced mortality rate among study participants.
But the latest study found that peanuts and tree nuts may also reduce risk of dying from diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. The study was published this week in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Nevertheless, study authors wrote in their paper that a higher intake was not linked with lower risk of death from the above mentioned causes.
According to the study’s background information, peanuts and tree nuts contain a cohort of mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and many other beneficial compounds that can help the human body fight off harmful outsiders.
Unfortunately, there were no beneficial health effects in peanut butter. Researcher argued that its salt and fat content may block the protective role of peanuts.
Image Source: The Blaze
