With the rise in nut allergies, nuts have received a bad rap for being allergenic. Taking another look at the nutritional value of nuts, like walnuts, we see that for those who are not allergic to them, they offer a myriad of benefits. Nuts offer a rich source of nutrients and culinary versatility to be added to salads, nut butters, shakes and your favourite yogurt. 

Let's explore the benefits of walnuts and how they can support your health. 

What Are Walnuts?

Walnuts are round, single-seeded stone fruits produced by the Walnut tree. They are considered a tree nut, and the species commonly used for food is called Juglans Regia. Medicinally, Juglans Nigra, called /articles/supplements/black-walnut/, is used for intestinal worms and parasites.

The seed kernels of Walnuts are covered by a brown seed coat which contains an abundance of /articles/supplements/antioxidants/. This protects the healthy oils in the nut from oxidative damage and rancidity from oxygen exposure.

Last year, the world produced over 2.55 million metric tonnes of Walnuts. China is the largest producer, followed by Iran, the United States and Turkey.

How Many Walnuts Can I Eat Per Day?

It is used mainly for its healthy fats and /articles/supplements/antioxidants/, and they're a great source of healthy vegetarian protein as well.

Eating just 7 whole foods per day will give you a nutrient dense and impactful food. This would provide you with more than 100% of your daily recommended value of plant-based Omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts have valuable minerals too, like Molybdenum, Copper, and Manganese.

Health Benefits of Walnuts

It is high in Amino /articles/supplements/arginine/, an amino acid which is great for your cardiovascular health. They also have /articles/supplements/ala-omega-3/which decreases inflammation in the vascular system and reduces LDL, the type of cholesterol which can build up in your arteries, contributing to stroke and heart attacks.

Antioxidant Benefits of Walnuts

It contains strong antioxidants, namely quinone Juglone, the tannin Tellimagrandin, and the flavonol Morin. These antioxidants protect your arteries and the cholesterol in your blood from oxidizing and causing damage. So if you have cardiovascular disease or have a family history of cardiovascular disease, you may want to add Walnuts to your diet.

Great for Brain Health

The antioxidants in Walnuts further protect your brain cells from damage. Other nutrients in it, including Omega 3 fats, which protect your brain and nervous system, are /articles/supplements/meltatonin/, Folate, and /articles/supplements/supplement-articles-vitamin-e/.

Diabetes Support

/articles/health-concerns/diabetes/, who are more susceptible to cardiovascular damage, will especially benefit from eating Walnuts daily. In addition, studies show that Walnuts significantly reduce fasting insulin levels. And the healthy fats and protein in Walnuts curb your appetite, which helps you lose weight – again, healthy for those with cardiovascular disease and Diabetes.

Walnuts Prostate Benefits

Interestingly, animal studies show that it protects your cells from unwanted cellular changes. Studies show that in mice with unhealthy prostate cell growth slowed by 30-40%, and in those with other unhealthy cell growth slowed by 50%. Furthermore, walnuts were shown to cut this risk by 50%.

How To Add Walnuts To My Diet

It can be used in a variety of ways in your diet.

Because their oils are fragile, they are best bought raw, kept in the fridge, and not heated. Try Walnuts on salads, in yogurt, or sprinkled on rice or quinoa. Also, you can make Walnut Crunch Apple Wedges.

Another great way to use them is to make a blend with Brewer's yeast, garlic and olive oil. This blend is great mixed into a kale salad with cranberries and lemon.

Try Walnut butter on rice cakes with a piece of fruit for a nutritious and quick snack. Or, if you are in a rush, just a handful will do.

Shopping For Quality Walnuts

One of the freshest ways of eating it is straight from the shell. Time-consuming but fun for an evening, visiting with family and friends.

Otherwise, buy fresh hulled raw Walnuts. Roasting can turn the fragile oils in Walnuts rancid. Once rancid, the oils can cause damage to your cardiovascular system instead of keeping it healthy.

Fresh raw Walnuts should taste smooth, fatty, slightly nutty and fresh. If they have a sharp flavour or bitter taste, there is a good chance the fats have gone rancid. Even raw Walnuts kept cold can eventually go bad.

It is also healthier to buy Walnuts without salt. Many studies have shown salt intake to have negative health effects on blood pressure and swelling in the body. Although salt helps preserve nuts, buy fresh, unroasted Walnuts as a better choice.

Other Seed & Nut Considerations

It is tree nuts, and as such, they can be allergenic to some people. If you know or suspect you may have a tree nut allergy, you will want to avoid Walnuts.

If you are unsure, food allergy and sensitivity testing can be done through your ND or MD.

Alternatives to Walnuts are seeds like /articles/supplements/pumpkin-seeds/, /articles/supplements/supplement-articles-sesame-seeds/, /articles/supplements/chia/, and sunflower. Raw seeds can also provide essential Omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and antioxidants to benefit your health.