A recent study claims that people who consume a handful of nuts each day have a reduced risk of several health problems including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The study found that consumption of at least 20 grams of nuts each day decreased cancer risk by 15 percent, premature death by 22 percent, and the risk of coronary heart diseases by 30 percent.

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Eating a handful of nuts also decreased the risk of diabetes by 40 percent and reduced the risk of death from respiratory diseases by 50 percent. However, the researchers claim that further research is needed to establish the link between nut consumption and health problems like respiratory diseases and diabetes.

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Imperial College London examined about 29 studies about nut consumption from across the world. Around 819,000 participants were studied, including 9,000 stroke patients, 12,000 patients with coronary heart diseases, 18,000 patients with cardiovascular diseases and cancer. About 85,000 deaths were recorded in the studies.

Despite variables such as geographical location, gender, and varying risk factors, it was concluded that eating a handful of nuts had a positive effect on most health problems. The researchers examined the benefits of tree nuts such as hazelnuts, peanuts, and walnuts, which all belong to the legume family.

Nuts are rich in fiber, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fatty acids which decrease cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease risks. The study can be found in the journal BMC Medicine.