Eating Nuts Regularly Can Improve Cognitive Function in Older Adults

A study suggests adults who consume 10 grams of nuts daily can improve their cognitive functioning as they get older, reports Consumer Affairs . More than 4,800 adults 55 and older participating in the China National Health Survey between 1991 and 2006 were assessed. Seventeen percent of participants reported eating nuts regularly at the outset, with food consumption and cognitive performance regularly evaluated. "By eating more than 10 grams (or two teaspoons) of nuts per day, older people could improve their cognitive function by up to 60 percent — compared to those not eating nuts — effectively warding off what would normally be experienced as a natural two-year cognitive decline," says the University of South Australia's Ming Li. "If we can find ways to help older people retain their cognitive health and independence for longer — even by modifying their diet — then this is absolutely worth the effort."