Heart healthHigh cholesterolNutrition

The best nuts for your health

Eating nuts can help lower cholesterol levels, improve your heart health—and even help you live longer.

Jan, 2026
LearnCholesterolThe best nuts for your health
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Walnuts
Almonds
Macadamia Nuts
Pistachios
Pecans
Peanuts
Cashews

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Are nuts part of your daily diet? If you answered no, you may want to add them to your grocery list. Research shows that eating nuts can boost your health and help you live longer.

For example, one 2019 study in the journal Antioxidants suggested that consuming nuts in moderation as part of a healthy diet may help lower your risk of many illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease. They may even add a few years to your life.

Nuts are loaded with important nutrients, including fatty acids, protein, vitamins, and minerals. But they also tend to be calorie-dense, so remember to stick to modest portions when you snack.

Written byAna Lopez.
Medically reviewed byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.February, 2024
Sources: ME Rusu + 12
  1. ME Rusu, A Mocan, et al. Health Benefits of Nut Consumption in Middle-Aged and Elderly Population. Antioxidants. 2019, 8(8), 302.
  2. Harvard Health Review. Walnuts can lower cholesterol. January 2016.
  3. SM Poulose, MG Miller, B Shukitt-Hale. Role of walnuts in maintaining brain health with age. Journal of Nutrition. 2014 Apr;144(4 Suppl):561S-566S.
  4. L Arab, A Ang. A Cross Sectional Study of the Association between Walnut Consumption and Cognitive Function among Adult US Populations Represented in NHANES. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. 2014. 10.1007/s12603-014-0569-2.
  5. JF Liu, YH Liu, et al. The effect of almonds on inflammation and oxidative stress in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized crossover-controlled feeding trial. European Journal of Nutrition. 2013 Apr;52(3):927-35.
  6. LC Del Gobbo, MC Falk, et al. Effects of tree nuts on blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure: systematic review, meta-analysis, and dose-response of 61 controlled intervention trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015, Dec. 102(6), 1347–1356.
  7. MedlinePlus. Triglycerides, Antioxidants.
  8. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. What Is Potassium?
  9. P Hernández-Alonso, M Bulló, J Salas-Salvadó. Pistachios for Health: What Do We Know About This Multifaceted Nut? Nutrition Today. 2016 May, 51(3), 133–138.
  10. Diabetes Forecast. Ah, Nuts! Pistachios May Lower Diabetes Risk in Those With Prediabetes. October 2014.
  11. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Manganese.
  12. Nowrouzi-Sohrabi P, Hassanipour S, Sisakht M, Daryabeygi-Khotbehsara R, Savardashtaki A, Fathalipour M. The effectiveness of pistachio on glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020;14(5):1589-1595.
  13. Nishi SK, Viguiliouk E, Kendall CWC, et al. Nuts in the Prevention and Management of Type 2 Diabetes. Nutrients. 2023;15(4):878. Published 2023 Feb 9.

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