Nut consumption may protect against heart disease

Although nuts are high in fat, the fatty acids are mostly monosaturated or polyunsaturated, which have beneficial effects on blood lipids. In a large prospective study of women, Hu et al (p 1341) found an inverse association between nut consumption and incidence of coronary heart disease. Women who frequently consumed nuts (⩾5 times per week) had a significantly lower risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction and fatal coronary disease after accounting for age, smoking, and other known coronary risk factors than women who rarely (never or less than once a month) ate nuts.