The Study
Relationship of tree nut, peanut and peanut butter intake with total and cause-specific mortality: a cohort study and meta-analysis.
This study found that people who ate more nuts tended to live longer, but it didn't prove that nuts made them live longer. Maybe those people just ate healthier overall, exercised more, or had better access to doctors. So we can say nuts are linked to living longer, but we can't say nuts are the reason.
Analysis score
Maximum 85 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
People who eat a small handful of nuts like almonds or peanuts most days tend to live longer and get sick less often from diseases like cancer or dementia.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 559 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — eating a small daily portion of nuts is linked to living significantly longer, especially from diseases like dementia and lung problems.
- 2Eating 10 grams of nuts a day (about 1/4 cup) cuts death risk by 23%.
- 3Eating nuts twice a week cuts all-cause death risk by 56%.
- 4Eating peanut butter doesn't help.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
International journal of epidemiology
Year
2015
Authors
P. A. van den Brandt, L. Schouten
Related Content
Claims (7)
People who eat nuts have a lower rate of death from any cause compared to those who do not eat nuts.
People who eat nuts at least twice a week have a 56% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who eat nuts less often.
Eating 10 grams of nuts per day is associated with the lowest risk of death; eating more than that provides less additional benefit.
People who eat nuts have a lower risk of death, even when accounting for other healthy habits like not smoking, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a balanced diet.
Eating peanut butter does not lower the risk of dying from any cause, even though it has similar nutrients to whole peanuts, meaning processing or added ingredients might remove any health benefits.
People who eat at least 10 grams of tree nuts or peanuts per day have a 23% lower risk of dying from any cause and up to a 44% lower risk of dying from neurodegenerative diseases.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.