What was it all about?

This project strengthened awareness, understanding and consumption of nuts through the Nuts for Life nutrition education program. Over three years, the program translated emerging nutrition science into practical information for health professionals, food service professionals, industry stakeholders and consumers.  

A major achievement was improving understanding of the relationship between nuts and weight management, with health professional agreement that nuts support weight management increasing from 79% in 2023 to 95% in 2026. The project also strengthened recognition of the heart health benefits of nuts through a partnership with the Heart Foundation and continued to build the evidence base supporting a greater role for nuts in healthy dietary patterns.

The project delivered a broad program of research translation, communications and stakeholder engagement. Activities included webinars, podcasts, conference presentations, media campaigns, health professional education programs and submissions to the Australian Dietary Guidelines review process.  

Researchers assessed opportunities for a high-level health claim for nuts, investigated energy labelling issues and developed resources explaining the role of nuts in heart health, weight management and sustainable diets.  

The project also launched a Sustainability Hub, developed practical culinary resources for food service professionals, and expanded the Nuts for Life website, which recorded more than 793,000 page views during the project. More than 37 new or updated resources were produced, including fact sheets, reports, infographics, recipes, videos and podcasts.  

The project has strengthened the visibility and credibility of nuts as part of healthy and sustainable diets and provided industry with evidence-based tools to support future demand. Health professionals reported greater confidence in recommending nuts and stronger recognition of their benefits for heart health, weight management and overall wellbeing.  

The Sustainability Hub, educational resources and ongoing engagement activities will continue to support industry communication efforts, while contributions to dietary guideline reviews and health policy discussions will help improve recognition of nuts within national nutrition recommendations.

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For more information on the Nuts for Life program and to see the resources produced, visit www.nutsforlife.com.au.