We all have heard quite often that dry fruits are healthy and keep us fit. Walnuts are one of the foods that are quite popular for its benefits. The brain-shaped food item is great for snacking and is filled with healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Thus, we have got you more reasons in detail to consume walnuts and enjoy them without any guilt. According to MedicalNewsToday, eating 2 to 3 oz of walnuts daily is a part of healthful diet that can improve gut health and reduce the risk of heart disease. Know more benefits below.
1. Helps Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is at the root cause of many diseases and doctors recommend diet that can reduce inflammation because inflammation causes heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Inflammation is also accompanied by oxidative stress that is also harmful for the body.
The polyphenols in walnuts help fight oxidative stress and inflammation. A subgroup of polyphenols called ellagitannins are more involved. Beneficial bacteria in your gut convert ellagitannins to urolithins that protect the body against inflammation.
ALA omega-3 fat, magnesium and the amino acid arginine present in walnuts also help reduce inflammation.
2. Improves Gut Health
Research suggests that walnuts are essential for healthy gut and they promote the production of good bacteria that are also beneficial for overall good health.
Research proves that unhealthy gut is the reason for an unhealthy body, bad hair and poor looking skin. The unhealthy gut can be due to the unhealthy composition of your microbiota responsible for inflammation that also increase the risk of obesity, heart disease and cancer.
Thus, eating healthy is important because what you eat affects the microbiota and eating walnuts can support the health of your microbiota and your gut.
Regular consumption of walnuts also increase the production of good bacteria called butyrate, a fat that nourishes your gut and promotes gut health.
3. Helps Manage Weight
Walnuts are rich in calories and research proves that the energy absorbed from them is 21% lower than what is expected. Thus, walnuts help curb appetite. Studies have proves that walnuts in smoothies can help manage weight as compared to other drinks equal in nutrients and calories
When the appetite of a person is curbed naturally, they are also less tempted by the junk foods and thus lose weight easily and in a healthy way.
4. Helps Maintain Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can be harmful for the body since it increases the risk of heart diseases and stroke. Walnuts can be beneficial here since they help lower blood pressure and also help in cases of stress when the blood pressure is more likely to spike.
Walnuts have a good effect on the blood pressure thus they also help keep the heart healthy.
5. Promotes Healthy Ageing
As the body ages, it becomes difficult for it to keep up with the physical movements and mobility. They begin to be dependent on tools and people even for their basic movement. But healthy eating habits can help fight these effects of ageing.
People who eat healthy foods regularly are at an 13% lower risk of physical impairment and walnuts make a strongest contribution to a healthy diet. Though they are high in calories but they are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, fats and plant compounds that help support good physical functioning as you age.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)