A walnut is the wrinkled two lobe, hard cased fruit of the Walnut tree characterised by a roughish skin and a smooth creamy inside. People on healthy diets generally steer of walnuts because of the fat content but the fats in nuts are mostly unsaturated which fight LDL Cholesterol. Whilst not being a true low fat food, the Walnut has so much other nutritional value that it is included in the top 10 Superfoods list and therefore is a perfectly good ingredient in a healthy eating plan. When you read the statistics of the nutritional data you’ll wonder why you weren’t eating them more before now.
Why are Walnuts a superfood?
The benefits of walnuts are considerable. Recent University studies showed that people who consumed nuts five times a week reduced the risk of heart attack by about 50% and other studies show they can help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes. Cancer research has indicated that the phytochemical and phytosterol content of nuts may assist the fight against some forms of the disease.
You might be surprised to know that walnuts are extremely rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Fatty acids help control blood pressure and prevent heart disease. They help lower LDL Cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol which improves blood lipide profile thereby reducing the risk of coronary artery disease and strokes. If you are taking Omega 3 fish oil supplements you should consider switching to a handful of walnuts instead because of all the additional health benefits.
The list of amino acids in walnuts is long and comprehensive, for instance i-arginine which maintains the elasticity of blood vessels meaning good blood supply and circulation. Other aminos are asparate, arginine, leucine, glycine, isoleucine, and glutamate. Amino acids are proteins and generally, structural amino acids prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue and also promote the release of human growth hormone whereas functional proteins include essentials such as insulin, thyroid hormone, digestive enzymes and antibodies.
As well as these specific nutrients that qualify walnuts as a superfood, they are also abundant in Vitamin E and A, folic acid and beta-carotene. Other benefits are the fibre content and also its source of melatonin which helps us sleep.
Pregnant women may find a handful of walnuts an effective addition to their diets – the folic acid, the omega 3, the wide range of anti-oxidants and the fibre which helps prevent constipation are all natural sources and will reduce the need for supplements but also the protein of a walnut is better than that of eggs.
Food Group: Nuts
Nutritional Values: Per 100g
- 654 Calories
- 65g Fat of which 9% is saturated
- 0 Trans fats
- 2g Carbohydrates
Nutrients:
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin A
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Folic Acid
- Omega 6
- Omega 3