A handful of nuts a day could prevent dementia. According to new research published in the journal GeroScience, daily intake of nuts may play a protective role in preventing dementia. Eating just 30g of unsalted and unprocessed nuts lowers the risk of developing dementia by 12 percent, the researchers found. 

What the study found

Researchers from the University of Castilla-La Mancha and the University of Porto wrote in the journal GeroScience: Daily consumption of nuts may play a protective role in the prevention of dementia. The UK-based study analysed data from 50,386 participants, with an average (mean) age of 56.5 years and without dementia at the start of the study. They were tracked across seven years.

All-cause dementia was assessed at baseline and at follow-up. To assess nut consumption, a 24-hour dietary questionnaire was used at baseline. At the end of the study, the incidence of all-cause dementia was 2.8 percent (1,422 cases). Nut consumption of up to one 30g handful a day, and consumption of unsalted nuts, offered the greatest benefits.

Researchers said, "UK adults who consumed nuts daily had a reduced risk of all-cause dementia compared with nonconsumers after seven years of follow-up, regardless of adjustment for lifestyle, hearing problems, self-related health, and the number of chronic diseases."

What you should know

Currently, there are no effective curative treatments for dementia, so reducing the risk of cognitive decline, including through a balanced diet, is crucial. Nuts are nutrient-dense foods rich in bioactive compounds, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other neuroprotective roles and support brain health.

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