Nuts

Humans have eaten nuts for thousands of years, yet their consumption was discouraged just a few decades ago due to their high-fat content. This perspective began to change in the early 1990s due to seminal publications from the Adventist Health Study, which showed that nut consumption significantly improved heart health-related outcomes. Many randomized clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and in vitro/in vivo mechanistic studies have since explored the role of eating nuts and its relation to health. Similarly, dried fruits have been scrutinized due to their concentrated sugar content despite their non-sodium micronutrient and fiber density. Due to accumulating evidence on nut and dried fruit intake and health outcomes, an international scientific meeting was organized for leading experts to examine and recapitulate in detail what is well known and established and what avenues of knowledge are still lacking in nut and dried fruit research. This book summarizes proceedings from this international scientific meeting and the latest information relating to: (1) energy balance and body weight; (2) insulin resistance and diabetes; (3) lipoproteins and dyslipidemia; (4) gastrointestinal system; (5) inflammation and oxidation; (6) cardiovascular disease; (7) cognition; (8) cancer; (9) dried fruit and health; (10) future lines of research. These findings highlight the beneficial health potentials of nuts for researchers, health professionals, other stakeholders, and the public while simultaneously pinpointing areas for further investigation to continue informing and guiding health practices and policies.