Health Benefits of Walnuts.Did you know that eating just a handful of walnuts a day can vastly improve your health in a number of different ways? The simple nuts grow on trees and are most commonly harvested after they have fully ripened. Most of the commercially available types carried in stores have the shells removed and the inside kernel, which is known as nutmeat, is the part that people consume.
Supercharged with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, minerals, B vitamins, and antioxidants, walnuts offer benefits for your skin, brain, and cardiovascular system. These crunchy goodies have also been shown to control androgen-levels in PCOS patients, reduce inflammation, and exert anti-cancer effects in laboratory studies.
Proven & Surprising Health Benefits of Walnuts !
1# Impressive Anti-Cancer Properties
A study published in the January 2010 issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology found walnut extracts to be capable of inhibiting the growth of human kidney and colon cancer cells in vitro. These anti-cancer effects appeared to be concentration-dependent.
The anti-cancer properties of walnuts have been largely attributed to their strong antioxidant activity, but also omega-3 fatty acids are known to provide protection against some types of cancer.
2# They Protect Your Bones
The omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid found in walnuts is known to promote bone health. Bone loss can occur when you do not consume the proper ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Most people don’t get the right ratio because they consume more of the omega-6 fats. Eating walnuts can provide the necessary omega-3 fats and prevent the turnover of bone matter.
3# Walnuts Improve Sleep
Do you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep? Walnuts can help; here’s why. The body’s pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin that induces sleep and helps regulate sleep. This hormone is found in walnuts–making walnuts a great evening or bedtime snack for improving your sleep.
4# They Protect Your Arteries and Heart
Some of the fats that are in that sizable measurement of eighteen grams per ounce are the very healthful alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid. Studies have shown that after a high-fat meal, walnuts can help to improve the functioning of arteries. They have also shown that walnuts may be even more beneficial in this way than olive oil.
5# Great for Your Hair
Walnut is a good ‘hair food’ too. This is because walnuts contain biotin (vitamin B7) that helps strengthen hair, reduce hair fall and improve hair growth to certain extent.
6# Walnuts Improve Blood Vessel Health
Omega-3 fatty acids help prevent erratic heart rhythms, make blood less likely to clot, and impact how much plaque accumulates in blood vessels. The essential amino acid,L-argnine, helps blood vessels relax and remain smooth, improving the elasticity of the blood vessel. This means improved mental function and protection against heart disease and stroke.
7# A Treasure Trove of Minerals
Still not convinced of the nutritional benefits of eating walnuts? Guess what, these super-nuts also packed with a wide range of minerals. They are supercharged with copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and manganese, plus they contain a good amount of calcium, too. Minerals act both individually and synergistically to perform hundreds of roles in the body, keeping your blood vessels, bones, nerves, skin, hair, and immune system strong and healthy.
8# They Prevent Gallstones
Another study collected twenty years’ worth of data on thousands of women. The researchers found that women who ate at least one ounce of nuts every week had a 25 percent lower risk of getting producing gallstones.
9# Walnuts Are Dieter-Friendly
Although high in fats and concentrated in calories, the fats in walnuts are healthy fats. And walnuts are a great source of fiber and protein. As a result, eating walnuts helps you feel full and feel satisfied. This is good news for dieters.
10# Boosts Your Sperm Quality
Eating 2.5 ounces of walnuts per day improves semen quality in healthy young men, researchers say. According to a study by UCLA researchers, eating 75 grams of walnuts a day improves the vitality, motility, and morphology of sperm in healthy men aged 21 to 35
11# Boosts Your Brain Power
Both antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids are known to have beneficial effects on brain power, so if you’re feeling a bit sluggish, try eating a small handful of walnuts. Also several animal studies have documented the brain health enhancing properties of walnuts.
12# Helps you Live Longer
Eating a handful of walnuts just thrice a week is the key to a longer life, a study has found. Scientists discovered that these edible seeds cut the risk of dying from cancer by 40 per cent and from cardiovascular disease by at least 55 per cent. In general, nut eaters in the research had a 39 per cent lesser risk of death and walnut eaters in particular a 45 per cent reduced threat.
13# Prevent Breast Cancer
The American Association For Cancer Research has published in its 2009 research volume that consuming a few walnuts each day can help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
14# Helps During Pregnancy
Having a walnut daily can greatly benefit those who are expecting. Walnuts contain healthy vitamin B-Complex groups like folates, riboflavin, thiamin, etc. These are necessary for a pregnant woman and the fetus.
