So says a new Yale study in which people who’d had colon cancer and regularly eat tree nuts — such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and pecans — are at “significantly lower risk” for the disease recurring than those who don’t.
Researchers followed 826 people who had suffered stage 3 colon cancer for an average of 6.5 years after surgery and chemotherapy, according to a Yale Cancer Center release.
They found that subjects who ate at least two one-ounce servings of nuts each had a 42% improvement in disease-free survival and a 57% improvement in overall survival.
“Further analysis revealed that disease-free survival increased by 46% among the sub-group of nut consumers who ate tree nuts rather than peanuts,” said lead author Professor Charles Fuchs, director of Yale Cancer Center.
Researchers acknowledged that “we don’t know yet what exactly about nuts is beneficial.” Nuts’ beneficial role may be linked to satisfying hunger with less intake of carbohydrates or other foods associated with poor outcomes, Fuchs added.
The Yale research adds to mounting evidence about the benefits of noshing nuts. A 2016 study found that munching a handful of nuts on a daily basis cuts the risk of a wide range of diseases — from cancer to heart disease.
