In your search for healthy, nutritious foods, don’t overlook the humble walnut! Walnuts pack a powerful nutrition punch and taste great. Added to salads, desserts, side-dishes, or eaten by themselves, 1/4 cup of walnuts provide 94.5% of the daily value of omega-3 fats, 42.5% of manganese, and 20% of copper. Walnuts are tree nuts, and studies have shown that people who eat approximately 1-1/4 ounces of tree nuts per day get 5 grams more of fiber, 260 milligrams more of potassium, 95 milligrams more of magnesium, 73 milligrams more of calcium, almost 4 milligrams more of vitamin E, and 157 fewer milligrams of sodium than people who don’t.
Walnuts contain phytonutrients that are not contained in other commonly- eaten foods. Quinone juglone, tannin tellimagrandin, and flavonol morin are rare, but valuable in the fight against cancers such as breast and prostate cancer.
The vitamin E in walnuts is unusual because most of it comes in the form of gamma-tocopherol rather than alpha-tocopherol. This form of vitamin E provides protection from heart problems, especially in men. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities of walnuts help protect against cardiovascular problems, metabolic syndrome, and type-2 diabetes.
Walnuts have been studied extensively for their cardiovascular benefits. They have been shown to improve blood quality and vasomotor tone while reducing the risk of excessive clotting and excessive inflammation. Blood pressure is positively affected by the minerals potassium, calcium, and magnesium and walnuts contain significant quantities of these minerals.
Metabolic syndrome affects up to 1 in 4 adults, and is a combination of metabolic problems like high triglycerides, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, and obesity. Studies have shown that eating an ounce of walnuts a day for two to three months reduces several of these problems. Adding walnuts has also been shown to reduce abdominal fat without causing weight gain.
Walnuts have also been shown to have anti-cancer benefits, support bone health, help in cognitive processes, and, thanks to melatonin, regulate sleep.
Walnuts are truly an excellent addition to any healthy eating plan.
Read the full article here: What’s New and Beneficial about Walnuts?
