■ EATING a handful of nuts daily could reduce the risk of serious heart rhythm problems, such as atrial fibrillation, by 21 per cent, according to research by the University of Bergen in Norway.

The scientists reviewed studies on nut consumption and heart health and found 28g a day had a significant effect, according to results published last year in the journal Advances in Nutrition.

It’s thought that nuts have high levels of cardio-protective ingredients that might ward off an abnormal heartbeat.