Enjoying Nuts and Seeds for a Healthy Diet. Is There an Ideal Quantity to Consume?
- Alastair Hunt
- Jul 19
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 11
Part of the dietary recommendations is to enjoy nut and seeds to promote health, and for a long time we have advised our friends and clients to enjoy some nuts and seeds alongside their daily fruit intake. A relatively easy and healthy habit to combine both, to add some satiating protein, minerals, polyphenols, fibre and healthy fats to one;s diet.
So when it comes to the specific, what type of nuts and seeds, and how much? We review the latest research below.
As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to all studies at bottom of page.
What Nuts and Seeds to Eat?
The 2022 review by Balakrishna et al. describes a diverse range of nuts and seeds "nut, almond, Brazil nut, cashew nut, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut, peanut, macadamia, sesame, oilseed, hickory, seeds, pine seed, sunflower seed, chia, poppy seed, hemp seed, quinoa, pumpkin seed, or flaxseed"
Why?
"Nut consumption was also associated with a reduced risk of mortality from respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, and diabetes; however, associations between nut consumption and diabetes incidence were mixed. Generally, these associations seem to be relatively similar for different nuts, including different tree nuts and peanuts. Meta-analyses of trials on biomarkers for disease (intermediate factors) generally mirrored meta-analyses from observational studies on cardiovascular disease, cancer mortality, and diabetes."
How Much to Eat?
"An intake of 28 g/d nuts compared with not eating nuts was associated with a 21% relative risk reduction for cardiovascular disease (including coronary heart disease incidence and mortality, atrial fibrillation, and stroke mortality), 11% risk reduction for cancer deaths, and 22% reduction for all-cause mortality...
Dose–response relations suggest optimal intake levels of 15 to 40 g/d with generally limited benefits in increasing intake beyond 28 g/d."
Enjoy as wide a variety as possible. Arguably it makes sense to include walnuts due to their nutritional, polyphenol rich profile. And to avoid baked or salted nuts and seeds.
What Does 28g of Nuts and Seeds Look Like?
12 walnut halves
A large palmful of seeds, say, mixed pumpkin and sunflower
A Focus on Walnuts
A meta-analysis of 17 randomised controlled trials (Mateș et al) evaluated the effects of walnut-enriched diets on metabolic syndrome and inflammation markers in middle-aged and older adults. The findings showed that daily walnut consumption significantly reduced triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and LDL cholesterol, although it did not affect HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, glycaemic markers, or body weight.
Inflammatory markers, including hs-CRP, were not significantly changed, though one study reported reductions in IL-6, TNF-α, and other markers, suggesting possible long-term anti-inflammatory effects.
Walnuts’ health benefits are attributed to their high content of omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, phytosterols and antioxidants like vitamin E and melatonin, which may improve lipid profiles and reduce oxidative stress. Higher doses (>42 g/day) were more effective, aligning with FDA recommendations. Observational studies further support walnut consumption being linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease, and stroke.
While study quality and sample sizes varied, the analysis remained robust across subgroups. The review concludes that incorporating walnuts into the diet may support cardiovascular health in older adults, though better-designed trials are needed to confirm effects on inflammation and metabolic health.
Final Thoughts
Improving diet and health is about finding motivation, prioritising self-care and taking action. If you want to take effective and targeted steps to that fit into your unique lifestyle, The Whole Health Practice is here to help. Whether you want to improve eating practices, beat chronic illness or enhance your overall well-being, our consultations and programs deliver results that are tailored to your needs.
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Poop well,
Alastair
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Related Studies
Balakrishna R, Bjørnerud T, Bemanian M, Aune D, Fadnes LT. Consumption of Nuts and Seeds and Health Outcomes Including Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Cancer, and Mortality: An Umbrella Review. Adv Nutr. 2022 Dec 22;13(6):2136-2148. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmac077. PMID: 36041171; PMCID: PMC9776667.
Mateș L, Popa DS, Rusu ME, Fizeșan I, Leucuța D. Walnut Intake Interventions Targeting Biomarkers of Metabolic Syndrome and Inflammation in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Jul 21;11(7):1412. doi: 10.3390/antiox11071412. PMID: 35883903; PMCID: PMC9312161.
Other
Nijssen, K.M.R.; Chavez-Alfaro, M.A.; Joris, P.J.; Plat, J.; Mensink, R.P. Effects of Longer-Term Mixed Nut Consumption on Lipoprotein Particle Concentrations in Older Adults with Overweight or Obesity. Nutrients 2025, 17, 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17010008
Guasch-Ferré M, Tessier AJ, Petersen KS, Sapp PA, Tapsell LC, Salas-Salvadó J, Ros E, Kris-Etherton PM. Effects of Nut Consumption on Blood Lipids and Lipoproteins: A Comprehensive Literature Update. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 23;15(3):596. doi: 10.3390/nu15030596. PMID: 36771303; PMCID: PMC9920334.
Houston L, Probst YC, Chandra Singh M, Neale EP. Tree Nut and Peanut Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Adv Nutr. 2023 Sep;14(5):1029-1049. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.05.004. Epub 2023 May 5. PMID: 37149262; PMCID: PMC10509427.
Nishi SK, Viguiliouk E, Blanco Mejia S, Kendall CWC, Bazinet RP, Hanley AJ, Comelli EM, Salas Salvadó J, Jenkins DJA, Sievenpiper JL. Are fatty nuts a weighty concern? A systematic review and meta-analysis and dose-response meta-regression of prospective cohorts and randomized controlled trials. Obes Rev. 2021 Nov;22(11):e13330. doi: 10.1111/obr.13330. Epub 2021 Sep 8. PMID: 34494363; PMCID: PMC9285885.
Liu X, Guasch-Ferré M, Drouin-Chartier JP, Tobias DK, Bhupathiraju SN, Rexrode KM, Willett WC, Sun Q, Li Y. Changes in Nut Consumption and Subsequent Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among US Men and Women: 3 Large Prospective Cohort Studies. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Apr 7;9(7):e013877. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.119.013877. Epub 2020 Apr 1. PMID: 32233756; PMCID: PMC7428648.
Becerra-Tomás N, Paz-Graniel I, W C Kendall C, Kahleova H, Rahelić D, Sievenpiper JL, Salas-Salvadó J. Nut consumption and incidence of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular disease mortality: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Nutr Rev. 2019 Oct 1;77(10):691-709. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz042. PMID: 31361320; PMCID: PMC6845198.
Mohammadi-Sartang M, Bellissimo N, Totosy de Zepetnek JO, Bazyar H, Mahmoodi M, Mazloom Z. Effects of walnuts consumption on vascular endothelial function in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Dec;28:52-58. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.07.009. Epub 2018 Sep 1. PMID: 30390893.
Del Gobbo LC, Falk MC, Feldman R, Lewis K, Mozaffarian D. Effects of tree nuts on blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure: systematic review, meta-analysis, and dose-response of 61 controlled intervention trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Dec;102(6):1347-56. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.110965. Epub 2015 Nov 11. PMID: 26561616; PMCID: PMC4658458.
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