Walnuts are fruits of the Juglans tree of the Hazelnut family, which have a pleasant but sometimes slightly bitter taste. Walnuts are often used in desserts, salads and some oriental dishes.
The fruits of the Juglans tree are not only tasty and nutritious, but also healthy. These are a few health benefits of walnuts that you might not be aware of.
Contains healthy fats
Walnuts are rich in alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body, leading to many serious diseases: arthritis, heart disease, certain types of cancer, etc. If you are deficient in omega-3, eat walnuts more often. Studies show that after just a month of daily consumption of nuts, the level of omega-3 in the body rises.
Supports Bowel & Heart Health
The bioactive compounds in walnuts play an essential role in altering the intestinal microflora. This is supported by a study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University (USA), which showed that adding walnuts to the diet increases beneficial gut bacteria.
They have a positive effect on the health of the digestive tract and strengthen the immune system and normalize blood pressure, thereby protecting the cardiovascular system.
Reduce blood pressure
Sometimes even small dietary changes can benefit the cardiovascular system. For example, adding walnuts to your daily diet normalizes diastolic blood pressure and lowers low-density lipoprotein (“bad”) cholesterol levels.
Helps control weight
Walnuts help reduce hunger and regulate appetite, so eating them is beneficial for weight control and reducing the risk of obesity. Scientists believe that nuts affect the feeling of fullness by acting on the central nervous system, which controls our desire to eat.
Therefore, walnuts are an excellent snack for anyone looking to stay at a healthy weight.
Benefit the Brain
Eating walnuts improves cognitive functions: memory, attention, learning ability, etc. In addition, nuts in the diet can protect against degenerative brain diseases, especially for the elderly.
