On the flip side, the study found that diets containing low amounts of nuts and seeds were linked to about 9 percent of deaths from heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. John Lawson/Belhaven/Getty Images

All things in moderation. If you follow that general rule, this article may not be of interest to you. But for most of us, the salt’s (thank you National Public Radio, USA) item for us today is worth a glance. After you collect some stardust, sprinkle it on a handful of nuts:

…We know, it may be tough to cut back on foods you love. Bacon is so alluring to many that it has even been called the ‘gateway’ to meat for vegetarians!

But, here’s the flip side: The researchers also found there’s a significant risk in eating too little of certain healthy foods. So, think of it this way: You can start consuming more of the foods that are protective…

…One challenge: People who have healthy diets often have other healthy habits, too — such as getting regular exercise. Dietary habits also track with socio-economic status. So, people with lower incomes are more likely to have poorer diets compared with wealthier people.

The Tufts researchers used studies that had controlled for these lifestyle factors, but it’s not a perfect science.

“Relying on evidence from observational studies…carries the potential limitation of confounding bias,” states an editorial that was published alongside the study. The editorial raises the possibility that the effect of confounding factors such as socioeconomic status and physical activity could be substantial. “For instance, it’s possible that processed meat consumption merely reflects a Westernized dietary pattern.”…

Read the whole article here.