Daily Peanuts May Boost Brain Insulin Response
A small Dutch trial found older adults who ate peanuts daily showed improved insulin responsiveness in memory-related brain regions.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Nutrition
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Researchers at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands found that daily peanut consumption improved insulin responsiveness in several memory-related brain regions among healthy older adults. The small study, of 31 adults aged 60 to 75, was published in the journal Food & Function and may interest older readers focused on brain health.
Why it matters
Insulin helps support memory and other thinking abilities, and the brain can become less responsive to it as people age, a shift previously linked to cognitive decline. Because the finding comes from a single small trial, it points to a possible dietary avenue for further study rather than an established way to protect memory.
This randomized crossover trial followed 31 healthy adults aged 60 to 75 through two 16-week phases, one eating 60 grams of peanuts daily and one avoiding peanuts entirely. Insulin responsiveness improved in several right-hemisphere memory-related regions after the peanut phase, but the sample is small and the study does not establish effects on everyday memory.
The players
Maastricht University Medical Center
A Dutch academic medical center whose researchers conduct clinical and nutritional studies, including this peanut and brain-insulin trial.
The details
Researchers randomly assigned participants to eat peanuts or avoid them, then switched their diets so each person experienced both conditions. Peanuts contain a mix of nutrients and natural compounds that the researchers believe may work together to support brain health, though the specific mechanism was not isolated. The regions affected included parts of the hippocampus, lingual gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and posterior cingulate gyrus.
Timeline
Each study phase lasted 16 weeks, with participants eating peanuts in one phase and avoiding them in the other.
Insulin responsiveness improvements in the brain were observed after the 16-week peanut-eating phase.
Health Landscape
Dietary strategies for supporting brain health in aging are an active area of nutrition research, with most studies so far focusing on broader dietary patterns. This peanut study adds a specific whole-food candidate, though it remains an early, small-scale finding that needs larger and longer trials.
Adults in their 60s and 70s who are interested in brain health may find peanuts a low-cost, widely available food to ask their doctor about in the context of a balanced diet. Peanuts are calorie-dense, so anyone considering adding them daily should discuss portion size and any allergy concerns with a clinician first.
The takeaway
The main insight is that a whole food may influence how the aging brain responds to insulin, a process tied to memory. Readers interested in brain-friendly eating can raise dietary questions with their physician and keep an eye out for larger trials that confirm these early findings.
Further reading
For more on how everyday foods relate to long-term health, explore our Nutrition coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by dpa International.
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