The "Newest" Health Nut

It’s the walnut. This nut is said to originate from Persia and has been around even much longer. The “newest” things are what doctors and researchers are finding out:

• It lowers your cholesterol levels.
• The polyunsaturated fatty acids from walnuts are important for a healthy diet and may keep your arteries healthy and elastic decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• It’s high in anti-oxidants which may lower your risk of cancer.
• It’s higher in omega-3 fatty acids compared to any other nuts so much so that it’s been claimed to be one of the “Super Foods.”
• The minerals found in walnut also benefit bone health.
• Including walnuts with fish in a diet favorably lowers the risk of heart disease.
• Reports about the walnut are so impressive that the USFDA approves a daily serving of 1.5 ounces or a handful of walnuts as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet which may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

These are some things we all can be “nuts” about. : )

Source

References:

http://www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/Cholesterol/CL00002.cfm (content provided by the MayoClinic.com)

California Walnuts; http://www.walnutinfo.com/health.html.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.26736Sv1.