When considering walnuts’ health benefits, we can see that they are a favourite and well known food for many – not only do they look similar to the human brain organ, but also many have considered them to be healthy to it and other organs as well. In an animal test, in aged rats, they ate a diet containing 2 to 6% walnuts and they improved not only with age-associated motor function, but cognitive function as well – however, it was said that a 9% walnut diet actually was reported to impair performance. Looking at the nutritional constituents of this food, we can see that they have omega 3 and antioxidants. It has been stated by the American College of Nutrition that both walnuts and also walnut oil have the ability to improve one’s reaction regarding stress.
In another report, on the 11th October, 2006, Science Daily gave a report saying that a handful of raw walnuts that were along with meals at a high level of saturated fats appeared to reduce the capacity of harmful fat being damaging to arteries. It should be noted that the funding for this study was by the California Walnut Commission and that also the lead researcher who was an MD and PhD called Emilio Ros stressed that this dietary method should not be seen as a band aid and instead that people should avoid unhealthy foods in the first place.
It has been said that comparing walnuts’ health benefits to other specific types of nuts, that they contain the largest amounts of antioxidants, which includes free antioxidants and also antioxidants bound to fiber. In more specific detail, it is reported here: “http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3138/2”, that for every 117 g, walnuts give 639 calories, 18 g of protein, 11% of a calcium and 19% of an iron RDA. Dietary fiber is also given as being at 8 g per 117 g and sugars at 3g.
(reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walnut)
