The Study
In a Swedish
Cohort study, 71,706 men and women aged 45-83 were followed for 13 years to
examine the effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on mortality. When
compared to subjects consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day,
subjects who never ate fruits and vegetables lived 3 years shorter and had a 53%
increased risk of mortality. The authors believed the difference in mortality
was due to the fruit and vegetable consumer’s lower rates of cardiovascular
disease and cancer. American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition 2013; 98:454-9.
Take Home Message
Fruits and
vegetables are the healthiest things you can eat, aim for a minimum of 5
servings per day, more is better.
The Study
Although nuts
are an extremely healthy food, many avoid them because they fear their high fat
content will cause weight gain. A recently published meta-analysis examined
this question. Thirty-three randomized controlled trials were included in this
meta-analysis. The results were very interesting. When comparing diets that
included nuts to diets that did not, researchers found no increases in body
weight, BMI, or waist circumference. In fact, all three were lower in the nut
groups, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. The
authors believed that the protein and fiber in nuts increase satiety, and that
is why they were not associated with weight gain. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2013; 97:1346-55.
Take Home Message
Nuts are an
awesome food. They are high in healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals, and
phytochemicals. Feel free to include nuts in your diet without fear of them
tipping the scale in the wrong direction. Just be reasonable with your
portions.
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