Just a handful of a popular snack could slow ageing – ‘slashing risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes'
Just one handful of a popular treat every day was found to slow down cellular ageing – the rate at which all cells in the human body get old.
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Growing older is a natural phase of life. It follows then that as you age, your cells age, too.
As cells divide and multiply, the protective structures at the end, known as telomeres shorten - a key sign of biological ageing.
And the more rapid cellular ageing is, the greater the risk of age-related conditions like heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
But snacking daily on peanuts could slow down the process, a new study claims.
A team of researchers the University of Barcelona turned their attention to the issue after previous studies found eating foods rich in antioxidants may reduce the rate at which cells age.
They noted: "Nut consumption has been associated with longer telomeres, suggesting a potential role delaying cellular ageing."
Antioxidants are specific nutrients, such as vitamins C, E or cartenoids, which help protect the body's cells against daily damage.
As cells perform their tasks in the body, they process oxygen and produce a molecule known as a free radical, which can damage cells and DNA.
Over time, the damage from free radicals can cause disease.
Peanuts contain several antioxidants, including vitamin E, niacin and resveratrol.
To test their effect on our cells, the researchers recruited 58 young, healthy volunteers to aged 18 to 33 - dividing them into three groups.
Over the course of six months one group was asked to snack on 25g of peanuts each day, another ate a daily serving of peanut butter, and the third acted as the control group, eating a control butter.
The recruits regularly provided saliva samples for scientists to check their DNA for telomere length.
Often compared to the plastic tips on shoelaces, each time a cell divides, these protective caps naturally shorten in a process known as telomere attrition.
BBC star who was kicked off flight after demanding other passengers not eat peanuts says she's been left 'humiliated'
This shortening acts as a biological clock that dictates a cell's lifespan.
But slowing down the rate that they do - could help us live longer.
The findings, published in the journal Antioxidants found that over the six-month period, the rate at which telomere length in the peanut group shortened was almost half that seen in the peanut butter group.
The study's authors said: "These findings highlight the potential benefits of incorporating peanuts into the diet as a means of promoting cellular health and longevity.
"[And]... the importance of whole foods over processed alternatives in promoting cellular health."
They added that more research is needed, with longer trials conducted in more diverse populations with older volunteers to validate the results.
But the researchers had one last word of warning, advising people to opt for unsalted peanuts, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Britons consume a staggering 180,000 tonnes of peanuts every year and that number is slowly increasing.
Are nuts good for you?
According to the British Hear Foundation: "You might think of nuts as unhealthy because of their fat content, but that's not the whole picture".
Nuts are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and good fats.
Nuts are a nutrient-rich food providing us with fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients that could help reduce our risk of heart and circulatory diseases.
Eating nuts and pulses as protein sources, rather than meat and dairy, has also been recommended as a way of eating that is more sustainable for our planet.
Some studies also show that people who eat nuts on a regular basis are less likely to have, or die from, heart attacks, although this type of study can't prove that it was definitely the nuts that made the difference.
Nut nutrition
Although nuts are high in fat, it's mainly healthier unsaturated fat.
They contain protein, B vitamins, vitamin E and minerals, including iron, potassium, selenium, magnesium, zinc and copper.
Walnuts are also a vegetarian source of omega-3 fats: the kind found in flax, hemp and chia seeds (not exactly the same as the omega-3 found in fish oils, but a good vegetarian alternative).
Because of their fat content, nuts are high in calories, so it's best to limit your portion size to a small handful (30g).
This amount of nuts generally contains 180 to 225kcal (depending on the type of nuts).
That's more than a packet of crisps and less than a 45g bar of milk chocolate, but with more nutrients than either.
Peanuts and pistachio nuts have slightly fewer calories than other nuts (but are still high in calories); hazelnuts and almonds are lowest in saturated fat.
Eating whole nuts is the best way to include nuts in your diet, especially if you eat them instead of other snacks like crisps or biscuits.
Just make sure they are unsalted and don't have coatings, which can add sugar, fat and sometimes salt.
Take some out of the packet and put the rest away if you think you'll be tempted to eat more.
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