Eating regular quantities of nuts, including peanuts, may have major benefits for the health, researchers claim today.
But peanut butter, which can contain salt and oils, does not have benefits, Dutch researchers found.
The research suggests that nut-eaters enjoy reduced death rates from heart disease, cancer, diabetes and lung and brain diseases.
Researchers at Maastricht University, analysed a survey involving more than 120,000 people aged between 55 and 69 for their study, reported in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
The researchers found that even eating half a handful of nuts a day was linked to improved health.
They say it is likely that nuts in themselves have health benefits.
Although the researchers did not attempt to identify the effect of vegetarianism, they did conduct an analysis of the effects of extra nut consumption on the so-called Mediterranean diet, which involves a diet rich in vegetables, fish and pulses.
Researcher Professor Piet van den Brandt said: “It was remarkable that substantially lower mortality was already observed at consumption levels of 15 grams of nuts or peanuts on average per day (half a handful).
"A higher intake was not associated with further reduction in mortality risk."
Piet A. van den Brandt, Leo J. Schouten. Relationship of tree nut, peanut, and peanut butter intake with total and cause-specific mortality: a cohort study and meta-analysis International Journal of Epidemiology 11 June 2015; doi: 10.1093/ije/dyv039
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