More surprisingly, the nut eaters were skinnier. Those who ate nuts seven or more times a week had an average body mass index score of 24.9 verses 26.0 for the non-nutters, according to the report.
And yes, this includes peanuts along with the tree nuts such as walnuts and pistachios.
“There’s something unique about nuts,” said Charles Fuchs, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Treatment Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and a senior author of the report. ” We’re trying to understand why, what’s the mechanism by which these things reduce the risk of dying from heart disease and cancer, as well as reducing the risk of diabetes, and we believe that there are substances within nuts that seem to affect energy or caloric pathways that alter metabolism in a positive way that allows you to contribute to weight loss.”