Facts about Walnuts

Facts about Walnuts. Calories in Walnuts, Health Benefits of Walnuts. All about this excellent superfood.

Health Benefits of Walnuts

Cardiovascular Benefits of Walnuts

Walnuts to Lower Cholesterol

Walnuts also help prevent coronary artery disease. The fat found in walnuts is not unhealthy, but rather a healthy monounsaturated fat that has a beneficial effect on high cholesterol levels. The omega-3 fatty acids walnuts help create through the alphalinolenic acid in them also has many beneficial effects: as with the omega-3 fatty acids found in wild salmon, the fatty acids found in walnuts help thin the blood and reduce the risk of heart attacks and blood clots.

These acids prevent cardiac arrhythmia and reduce the possibility of inflammation. Walnuts also increase the elasticity of the blood arteries, improving blood circulation throughout your body. Though the plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids are different from the animal-derived omega-3 fatty acids found in several fish sources, they provide similar health benefits.

Antioxidant Benefits of Walnuts

Walnuts contain several polyphenols that help reduce free radical damage; they lower free radical damage to cholesterol, in turn promoting heart health. The melatonin found in walnuts also helps protect against skin cancer.

Disease Prevention Benefits of Walnuts

Walnuts help prevent all of the following diseases: type II diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, psoriasis and several other inflammatory diseases.

Type II Diabetes

Walnuts are also beneficial for those diagnosed with type II diabetes. One study found that women who ate nuts at least five times a week had a 30 percent lower risk of diabetes than women who never ate nuts; the women who ate nuts one to four times a week had a 20 percent lower risk.

Walnuts are Brainfoods

Walnuts have also been proven to have a beneficial effect on brain function. Our brains are more than 60 percent fat; the healthy fat from walnuts thus contribute significantly to brain function. Research has also proven a link between consumption of omega-3 and corresponding risk levels of depression, ADHD and Alzheimer’s disease.

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