Nuts for prevention and management of heart disease and diabetes

Nuts are energy dense whole foods that are rich sources of unsaturated fat, fibre, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols. According to the 2010 Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nut intake is recommended to help facilitate the shift to a more plant-based diet for chronic disease prevention. Consistent findings across epidemiological studies, clinical trials, meta-analysis and pooled analysis have shown that frequent nut consumption reduces heart disease risk. The role of nuts in the prevention and management of persons with type 2 diabetes has not been firmly established and additional research is needed to elucidate the benefits that nuts may yield in this growing population.