Walnuts for longer? The Harvard team adds to the evidence

Recently, Li Yanping and others from Harvard University Chen Zengxi School of Public Health published a research paper in the journal Nutrients, according to China Biotechnology Network. Studies have shown a link between regular consumption of walnuts and increased longevity and a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

The team found that participants who ate five or more servings (28g/ serving) of walnuts per week had a 14 percent lower all-cause mortality rate, a 25 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, and a 1.3 year increased life expectancy compared to those who never ate walnuts. Eating two to four servings of walnuts per week was associated with a 13 percent lower risk of all-cause death, a 4 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and an increase in life expectancy of about one year.

For the study, researchers examined data on 67,014 women from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and 26,326 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Participants were 63 years old on average and free of cancer, heart disease and stroke at baseline. They were followed for about 20 years between 1998 and 2018, checking their diets every four years.

Researchers say eating even a few handfuls of walnuts a week may help promote longevity, especially in people who don't have a good diet to begin with. The results are consistent with previous studies that have confirmed the cardiometabolic benefits of nuts.

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