- Nuts, including walnuts, are generally considered part of a healthy diet due to their high levels of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that people who consume walnuts have a better risk profile for heart disease than those who don’t eat walnuts.
- The research team also reported that, compared to non-walnut eaters, walnut eaters had healthier overall diets, gained less weight, and exercised more.
Nuts are generally considered part of a
New research from the University of Minnesota highlights one nut in particular – walnuts.
The results suggest that those who include this particular nut in their diet enjoy certain health benefits, including fewer
This study, funded in part by the California Walnut Commission, was recently published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases.
Although walnuts are commonly considered nuts, they are technically the seed of a fruit.
Stone fruit, also known as stone fruit, grows on walnut trees. As the fruit matures, the outside turns into a hard shell that houses the edible seed — the walnut — inside.
A daily serving of walnuts is equivalent to 1 ounce, 1/4 cup, or 12-14 walnut halves and has a nutrient breakdown of:
- 190 calories
- 18 grams of fat (of which 13 grams are polyunsaturated fatty acids)
- 4 grams of carbohydrates
- 4 grams of protein
- 2 grams of fiber
- 1 gram of sugar
- No sodium or cholesterol
According to Lauren Pelehach Sepe, a clinical nutritionist at the Kellman Wellness Center in New York, NY, walnuts are among the healthiest nuts to eat.
“They’re high in healthy fats, antioxidants, as well as several essential minerals,” she explained Medical news today. “Given their beneficial nutritional profile, walnuts are an important part of a healthy diet as they offer a number of key health benefits.”
Sepe said walnuts offer more health benefits compared to other nuts because they contain the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids — also known as n-3 fatty acids — of any nut.
“Omega-3 fatty acids are naturally anti-inflammatory. They have also been shown to sink
triglyceride levels and reduceplaque formation which is one mechanism by which they lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.”– Lauren Pelehach Sepe, Clinical Nutritionist
Sepe also cited a 2019 study showing that walnuts provide benefits due to their effects on the cardiovascular system
“A healthy gut microbiome has been linked to reduced levels of inflammation, which lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease and improves your overall health
For the current study, lead author Lyn Steffen, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, said the primary goal was to determine whether walnut consumers had better dietary patterns and cardiovascular risk factors Profile over 30 years of follow-up versus those who did not eat walnuts.
For this observational study, Dr. Steffen and her team provided insights from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which began in 1985-1986 with a group of over 5,000 Caucasian and Black men and women aged 18 to 30 years old and continues to this day.
The research team examined data from 3,023 CARDIA participants, including 352 walnut eaters, 2,494 eaters of other nuts, and 177 non-nut eaters.
Examining physical and clinical measurements at 30 years, researchers found that walnut eaters had a better risk profile for heart disease, including:
The researchers also found that people who consumed walnuts had a healthier diet overall, gained less weight, tested with a lower value
dr Steffen said the results weren’t surprising because walnuts in particular are an excellent source of plant-based n-3 fatty acids
“Other nuts are also nutritious and contain fatty acids and antioxidants, but other types of nuts don’t contain ALA, plant-based n-3 fatty acids,” she explained MNT.
“I’ve read about the health benefits of walnuts for many years – I wanted to see if eating walnuts had a positive association with cardiovascular disease [cardiovascular disease] Health Profiles in the CARDIA Population.”
“I wrote
another paper on walnut consumption in relation to cardiac phenotypes – this is systolic and diastolic function – using data from the CARDIA study. Even though the heart function values of the adults were within the normal range, adults who ate walnuts had better values.”– Lyn Steffen, PhD, MPH, lead author of the study
According to Sepe, there is no exact answer as to how many walnuts a person should eat per day to enjoy the health benefits described in the study.
Still, she suggested that 1 ounce per day, which is about the equivalent of seven walnuts, or 14 half walnuts, may provide benefits.
“They’re easy to add to your daily diet, or you can eat a larger serving several times a week,” she explained. “The goal isn’t so much a specific number, but incorporating these and other nutrient-dense foods into your diet daily for maximum benefit.”
Regarding the next steps in this research, Sepe said she would like to see more research looking at all the mechanisms by which walnuts provide health benefits, namely their effects on the gut.
“Not only could this lead to a better understanding of how walnuts can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but also other health problems,” she added.
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