Nuts, nuts good for your heart...?

To the Editor.— Data obtained from a prospective cohort investigation of Seventh-Day Adventists suggest that regular nut consumption protects against fatal and nonfatal coronary events. 1 Regular consumption of whole wheat bread also appeared to provide a similar benefit. While Castelli and others might have their nuts on whole wheat, I'll be one of "those cheerful folk" 2 who wants to know about the relationship of nut consumption and overall mortality. Is it possible that nut consumption is related to an increase in other mortality? Perhaps excess sodium was consumed in the form of processed nuts, leading to an increase in hypertension-related cerebrovascular mortality. Hopefully, the authors will provide important additional data on overall mortality. Until then, I will decline having my nuts on whole wheat, and perhaps also avoid suffering that embarrassing consequence of legume consumption.