Eating a Handful of Nuts Daily May Reduce Heart Disease Risk by 25%

Scandinavian researchers found that eating a small number of nuts and seeds every day can reduce the risk of a heart attack and strokes, according to a new study published in the Food Nutrition Research journal.

If you eat a handful of nuts every day — that is around 30 grams — you will have a 20% to 25% lower risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, states the report.

Nuts have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels in the blood.

According to the Mayo Clinic, unsalted nuts are a good source of protein and contain at least some of these heart-healthy substances, around four to six servings of unsalted nuts a week as part of a healthy diet for adults.

The findings align with research finding the popular Mediterranean diet — which was named the best overall diet for 2023 — is known to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, according to previous research.

The Mediterranean diet involves eating a lot of fresh greens, fruits, fish, nuts and olives.