Leading a long and fulfilling life largely hinges on your ability to avoid chronic complications that shorten your lifespan. One of the most important proactive measures you can take is to maintain a healthy weight because obesity can lead to life-threatening conditions such as coronary heart disease. To help reduce obesity, moderate amounts of nuts in a diet has been shown to reduce overeating and keep the heart healthy furthering bolstering years on one’s lifespan.
Extensive research has revealed the best and worst foods for keeping your weight in check, but less attention has been devoted to how we eat and its impact on longevity.
A growing body of evidence suggests this plays an equally important role in extending your lifespan, however.
Research investigating the link between calorie intake and longevity suggests overeating can decrease your life expectancy.
Studies of human populations renowned for longevity observe links between low calorie intake, an extended lifespan, and a lower likelihood of disease.
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Eating too much food can lead to weight gain, and increase your risk of developing life-threatening conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.
Research on animals suggests that between a 10 and 50 percent reduction in calorie intake can increase maximum lifespan, according to research in the journal Science.
Research published in Ageing Research Reviews focusing on human life expectancy highlights the links between controlled calorie intake and boosting longevity.
Depending on the size of the person, reducing calories could help to reduce excess body weight and belly fat, both associated with an increased risk of premature death.
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that people in the habit of eating a daily handful of nuts are more likely to live longer compared with people who rarely consume nuts.
“The preponderance of evidence suggests a health benefit [from eating nuts],” said lead researcher Charles Fuchs of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.
He added: “What we find is that regular nut consumers have about a 20 percent reduction in all-cause mortality.”
Mayo clinic lists the other health benefits of nuts in a diet for increasing lifespan by reducing health risks which include:
Lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which play a major role in the build-up of deposits called plaques in your arteries
Improving the health of the lining of your arteries
Lowering levels of inflammation linked to heart disease
Reducing the risk of developing blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack and death.