- A new study investigated the impact of supplementing one’s diet with peanuts on brain health.
- The researchers conducted the study in older adults and included a control phase and a test phase.
- During the test phase, the participants ate 2 servings of peanuts daily, and by the end of the study, they saw improvements in both brain vascular function and verbal memory.
A new study from Maastricht University Medical Center, in The Netherlands, suggests that eating 2 daily servings of peanuts may help support brain health in older adults.
With more than 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s in 2025 and no cure available, lifestyle choices like
The new study focused on the impact of eating skin-roasted peanuts on brain health. The researcher found that peanut supplementation can increase blood flow to the brain, notably in areas tied to memory and thinking.
These results are not a treatment for cognitive decline, but they do show that regular peanut intake might help support brain function over time.
The study appears in the journal Clinical Nutrition.
The researchers examined how peanuts impact vascular function, including cerebral blood flow, in adults aged 60 to 75.
According to the American Brain Foundation, “blood flow delivers oxygen and other essential nutrients for cognitive functions, including memory, focus, and problem-solving.” Previous research has shown that cerebral blood flow can contribute to developing Alzheimer’s.
Since medical providers often recommend making dietary changes to help with Alzheimer’s risk, the researchers in the current study focused on peanuts since they are rich in nutrients linked to heart and blood vessel Health, including:
- protein
- healthy fats
- polyphenols and antioxidants
- L-arginine — an amino acid involved in
regulating blood flow .
The study specifically used skin-roasted peanuts because the skins contain extra fiber, protein, and antioxidant compounds.
The study included 31 healthy men and women between the ages of 60 and 75. All participants were generally in good health, had stable body weight, and had body mass indexes in the typical range for older adults.
People with peanut allergies, diabetes, heart disease, or other conditions that could impact the results were not allowed to participate.
Every participant went through a 16-week control phase and test phase. The participants took an 8-week break between the two periods.
During the control phase, the participants avoided eating peanuts and tree nuts. During the test phase, participants consumed 60 grams of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts per day, which the researchers provided.
The participants also avoided eating other nuts or nut-based foods during this period.
Participants visited the research center at the start, middle, and end of each 16-week phase for health checks, including blood pressure, blood samples, and diet reports. At the end of each phase, they also completed MRI scans and memory tests.
During the peanut phase, the participants saw a boost in brain blood flow. Overall, cerebral blood flow increased by about 3.6%, and blood flow in gray matter rose by around 4.5%.
Some subregions of the brain involved in memory and decision-making showed even greater improvements. Cerebral blood flow levels in the frontal lobe increased by 6.6% and in the temporal lobe by 4.9%.
In terms of cognitive functioning, participants showed a small improvement in verbal memory during the peanut phase and correctly recognized one additional word compared with the no-peanut phase.
The researchers think that improved blood flow to the frontal and temporal lobes may explain why participants performed better on verbal memory tests.
The participants also showed improvement with their systolic blood pressure (the top number), which dropped 5 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) on average.
This is significant since reducing systolic blood pressure can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
While the results are promising, more research is needed to see whether peanut supplementation can help with long-term brain benefits.
It is important to note that the study was funded by The Peanut Institute Foundation, though the researchers controlled the study design and analysis.
Tommy Wood, MD, a neuroscientist based in Seattle, not involved in this research, spoke with Medical News Today about the study.
“This is an interesting study in a few different ways,” said Wood, noting it adds to evidence that foods rich in polyphenols can “support or improve vascular health and function.”
Wood called the crossover design “surprisingly good for a diet study,” but pointed out that the small sample size weakens the statistical power.
“They’re let down a bit by the study size and some of the statistics, but it’s still a very helpful addition to the literature,” he said.
For similar benefits, Wood suggested dark chocolate, berries, or tree nuts for those who cannot eat peanuts.
Edmond Hakimi, DO, an internal medicine physician and medical director of Wellbridge in Long Island, New York, likewise not involved in this research, also spoke with MNT about its findings.
“The findings suggesting that peanuts can enhance brain function by improving cerebral blood flow are promising,” Hakimi told us, noting they build on research linking diet to cognitive health.
He noted some strengths of the study, including the design style.
“The results that link peanut consumption, blood flow throughout the brain, and improved scores in memory are promising since the study design was randomized and controlled and used objective measures such as MRI,” commented Hakimi.
While Hakimi found the study promising, he pointed out that the study is limited in its participant group size, saying it is “relatively small and requires a need for further studies with more participants from different populations and backgrounds.”
