Intake of seeds

Dietary surveys tend to group nuts and seeds together. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) study shows that there is wide variation in the intake of nuts and seeds. Total intake of treenuts, peanuts and seeds ranges from 1 to 300 g/day with a lower average intake in Northern European countries (15 g/day in Sweden compared with 35 g/day in Spain). The EPIC study showed that around 75% of the European population eats treenuts, peanuts and seeds, with the Netherlands having the highest (94%).¹

However, in general, dried ready-to-eat seeds are eaten in low amounts, and as such are a small contributor to dietary intake of micronutrients and phytonutrients.