- A new study links eating nuts regularly to lower risk of heart disease deaths.
- Tree nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts showed the strongest benefits.
- Replacing red or processed meat with nuts may further support heart health.
Nuts have long been linked to heart health, and new research continues to explore how they might help protect against heart disease.
Researchers wanted to know how regular nut consumption affects heart health over time. Their new study offers a clearer look than earlier research thanks to a larger, more diverse group of participants and a longer follow-up period.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and ischemic heart disease—a type caused by narrowed arteries that reduce blood flow to the heart—is one of its most common forms, and it can lead to a heart attack.
To get more specific, the researchers didn’t just lump all nuts together. They looked at total nut intake, which included peanuts and peanut butter, plus tree nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts separately to see whether any differences emerged.
How Was the Study Conducted?
The study was conducted by researchers at Loma Linda University’s School of Public Health, who drew on data from the long-running Adventist Health Study 2, which the university oversees. The analysis included more than 80,000 adults from across the U.S. and Canada who completed detailed food questionnaires and were followed for more than a decade to see how their diets related to heart-disease outcomes.
Because the group includes both Black and white adults and a mix of vegetarians and meat eaters, it offered a more diverse look at how different eating patterns—and specifically nut consumption—might affect heart health.
Those who ate the most nuts tended to be older, more educated and generally healthier overall. They exercised more, smoked less frequently, drank less alcohol and ate more fruits, vegetables and whole grains than people who rarely ate nuts. The researchers accounted for these lifestyle differences in their analysis, but it’s still worth remembering that nut lovers often have other heart-healthy habits too.
What Did the Study Find?
When the researchers compared people who ate the most nuts with those who ate the least, they found that participants with higher nut intake had about a 14% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 19% lower risk of dying from ischemic heart disease.
Tree nuts (almonds, cashews and walnuts) stood out a little bit more than peanuts. Researchers connected eating more tree nuts to a roughly 17% lower cardiovascular mortality risk and 27% lower ischemic heart disease mortality risk compared to people who rarely ate nuts. However, the researchers say both groups benefitted, suggesting that adding any type of nut to your diet is likely better for your heart than skipping them altogether.
How Does This Apply to Real Life?
The researchers concluded that you don’t need to overhaul your overall eating pattern to see potential benefits. Even modest nut consumption was linked with lower risk and the biggest gains appeared when nuts took the place of less heart-healthy foods like red or processed meats.
And even though those percentages may seem small, heart disease is so common that even modest reductions of risk add up. A 14% lower risk doesn’t mean your odds drop to zero, but it does mean that among thousands of people, many fewer could die of heart disease over time-—just from making simple sustainable changes like swapping in nuts more often.
A small handful (about 1 ounce) of nuts a few times a week fits easily into most eating patterns. Choose unsalted or lightly salted versions when you can, and mix up the types you eat—that should help you avoid a snacking rut and enjoy the benefits that a wide variety of nuts can have. Plus, you can always toss nuts into tasty recipes, whether sweet or savory. We’re especially fond of our Pecan Pie Energy Balls and Raspberry-Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts.
Our Expert Take
These findings reinforce a familiar message from heart health experts: small, steady changes can make a meaningful difference. Swapping out some red or processed meat for nuts is a simple move that shifts your diet toward healthier fats and more fiber—both proven ways to support cardiovascular health. Nuts aren’t a magic bullet, but as part of an overall balanced diet, they’re an easy win for your heart.
