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It’s no surprise when people say that you should eat walnuts every day for a healthy heart. Walnuts have been highlighted to show many health benefits. From the heart to our gut health, walnuts help bridge nutrient gaps among adults and children.
This article discusses the advantages of eating walnuts. It also explains what happens to your body when you eat walnuts every day.
Walnut Nutrition
Walnuts contain good nutrients, containing unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats reduce inflammation and support a healthy heart, cognition, and mental health. But that’s the only thing that this nut provides us with. Here’s a nutrient profile of a 1-ounce serving of walnuts:
- Calories: 185
- Total Fat: 18.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 1mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 4g
- Dietary Fibre: 2g
- Total Sugar: 1g
- Added Sugar: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Vitamin D: 0mcg
- Calcium: 28mg
- Iron: 1mg
- Potassium: 125mg
Health Benefits of Eating Walnuts Everyday
Walnuts are known for their numerous health benefits. They are mostly known for benefitting the heart’s health. Still, research has shown that it also helps in supporting gut health, good memory, a happy mood, maintaining blood sugar, improving reproductive health, and much more. Walnuts also contain antioxidants, which further enhance our health.
A Healthy Heart
While almost all nuts are said to be beneficial to the heart’s health, walnuts certainly top above all the other nuts. According to the American Heart Association, walnuts meet all the criteria for certification as a ‘heart-healthy food.’
Walnuts are low in saturated fats, sodium, and trans fats. They also contain at least 10% of the daily value for vitamins C and A, protein, calcium, iron, and dietary fiber. Walnut’s rich polyphenol content also fights inflammation and oxidative stress.
Additionally, heart-healthy foods significantly decrease the ‘bad cholesterol’ while positively impacting your lipid panel.
Newer research, as well as old ones, repeatedly emphasize the health benefits of walnuts. In fact, a 2021 study published in Circulation noted that older adults who had consumed about two servings of walnuts per day for two years had a lower LDL cholesterol level (1).
Further, it’s vital to know that high LDL cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis, which can, in turn, lead to strokes or heart attacks.
A Healthy Gut
In the world of prebiotics and gut health, walnuts have become particularly trendy. A 2023 review published in Antioxidants showed the potential of walnuts (2). It highlighted their importance in the gastrointestinal system. These nuts serve as prebiotics by serving food for the good microbes in our guts.
Also, walnut polyphenols are turned into bioactive anti-inflammatory compounds by metabolization. These compounds help in reducing inflammation while supporting a healthy digestive system.
Helps to Improve Cognitive Health
Walnuts’ high omega-3 fatty acid content helps in anti-inflammatory effects. This further helps to delay the progression of cognitive decline.
Promoting Diet Quality
It’s important to add walnuts to your daily diet. Researches have shown that doing this increases its nutritional part significantly.
Reducing Stress
Did you know walnuts contain neuro-supportive compounds? These compounds include melatonin, folate, vitamin E, and polyphenols. They serve as agents to improve mental health by reducing stress levels and depression and aiding sleep.
Managing Blood Sugar
Walnuts contain protein, fiber, and healthy fats. All these yield to the stabilization of blood sugar levels. This stabilization is even more significant when it comes to the management of type 2 diabetes.
How Many Walnuts Should You Eat Daily?
A serving of walnuts is usually 1 ounce, but studies suggest that 1.5 to 2 ounces are required to reap the health benefits. However, it’s important to note that walnuts are calorically dense, so a handful daily is enough to benefit from them.
Including Walnuts in a Healthy Diet
The best way to make it easier to eat more walnuts is simply by having them on hand. Based on your preference, choose between roasted or raw walnuts, and munch on them whenever you’d like.
You could also add them to salads as a replacement for croutons. Chopped walnuts in pancakes, bread, or muffins not only add to the nutritional benefits but also the taste and texture of your food! You could also mix chopped walnuts into oatmeal and yogurt.
In conclusion, numerous ways exist to enjoy this nut in different foods. Eating walnuts daily undoubtedly leads to a better diet and a healthy life. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a handful of walnuts, and enjoy them in your daily meals!
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