The beneficial effects of nuts on depression and anxiety: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Kumarasuriar, V., Khor, K. L., Tan, K. W., Ooi, P. B. and Chia, Y. C. (2026) The beneficial effects of nuts on depression and anxiety: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Nutrire, 51 (57). ISSN 2316-7874 doi: 10.1186/s41110-026-00458-3

Abstract/Summary

Background: Nuts are nutrient dense, and their neuroprotective benefits are beginning to be established. Besides increasing evidence of their potential in delaying cognitive decline, human studies have attempted to explore the protective benefits of nut consumption on neuropsychiatric conditions, such as mood disorders. The present study systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of nuts on depression and anxiety. Method: Seven electronic databases (Cochrane, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched from inception to February 2024 for randomized controlled trials comparing nut consumption with control interventions. Studies assessing depression and/or anxiety outcomes following nut intake were included, encompassing both short- and long-term interventions. Trials involving adults with or without underlying health conditions were reported. Data extracted included study characteristics, participant demographics, health status, study design, type and quantity of nuts consumed, intervention duration, and mental health outcome measures. Reporting followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and methodological quality was assessed using the Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials. Results: Six articles comprising 4,303 participants met the inclusion criteria. Two studies reported improvements in mood outcomes following nut interventions, including reduced anxiety with peanut consumption (p = 0.001) and reduced depression scores (p < 0.01) following an almond-based intervention, whereas the remaining studies reported no significant differences between intervention and control groups. Improvements in depression-related outcomes were observed specifically among participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: Based on a limited number of randomised controlled trials, the current evidence provides mixed support for the potential role of nut consumption in improving depression and anxiety outcomes. More randomised controlled trials with longer intervention durations and standardised outcome measures are needed to clarify the role of nut consumption in depression and anxiety.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/129519
Identification Number/DOI	10.1186/s41110-026-00458-3
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology University of Reading Malaysia
Publisher	Springer Nature
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