A very common ingredient found in many baking items. walnuts are mainly grown in California and Oregon. They are high in protein
1. There are few foods that are as nutritiously complete and good forthe human body as walnuts. For more than a dozen years, research byhighly-respected scientific and clinical experts has continued toreveal that this "Super Food" is packed with nutrients that positivelyaffect the body on a multitude of levels. Walnuts are unique as one ofthe most nutrient-dense whole food sources of alpha-linolenic acid(ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid. Numerous studies have concludedthat omega-3s help reduce the potential for heart disease, cancer,stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and clinicaldepression. The bottom line is that walnuts contribute nutrientsessential to a healthy lifestyle. Eating walnuts is one of the easiestthings a person can do to improve their health. Best of all, they tastegreat and are ideally suited for inclusion in any diet, as part ofmeals or snacks.
2. A new study conducted in Australia shows that, for patients withtype 2 diabetes, a whole foods diet including walnuts can reduce LDL"bad" cholesterol by as much as 10 percent. Findings of this new studyare published in the December 2004 issue of Diabetes Care, a journal ofthe American Diabetes Association (ADA).Primary study investigator Linda Tapsell, Ph.D., APD, director of theNational Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods, located at theUniversity of Wollongong, Australia, says, "This is one of the firststudies to look at the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids ondiabetes management. Walnuts are an easy and convenient way of gettingpolyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids into the diet. And they'reparticularly important for people with diabetes because they are asimple snack food, which is an integral component of managing the dietin diabetes." Tapsell says that a diet including walnuts can help thebody address one of the problems associated with early stage type 2diabetes insulin resistance which hinders the absorption of glucosefrom the bloodstream into human cells.
3. An ever-growing body of research has shown that walnuts play asignificant role in reducing the risk of heart disease. The heartbenefits of walnuts include lowering cholesterol, reducing inflammationand improving arterial function.Results from a November 2004 study from The Pennsylvania StateUniversity (published in the Journal of Nutrition) showed that eatingwalnuts can significantly reduce C-reactive protein and harmful plaqueadhesion molecules, two significant markers of inflammation inarteries. Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., distinguished professor ofnutrition at Penn State and primary investigator for the study says,"The important new finding with our research is that a diet high inwalnuts beneficially affects multiple risk factors for coronary heartdisease, which can have a greater impact on decreasing cardiovascularrisk than just targeting single risk factors." Many people look tofish, such as salmon, for omega-3s. However, Kris-Etherton says, "Theomega-3 fatty acids in walnuts were converted to the same omega-3 fattyacids found in marine sources, and hada similar effect on inflammation. Reducing inflammation can helpdecrease the progress of arteriosclerosis the development and build-up of plaque in the arteries."A March 2004 clinical study from the University of Barcelona showedthat substituting walnuts for monounsaturated fat in a Mediterraneandiet improved, and even restored, endothelial function (the elasticproperty of arteries to dilate when meeting an increased demand ofblood). The study also showed that walnuts reduce cell adhesionmolecules associated with atherosclerosis, commonly known as hardeningof the arteries. These dual effects enhance the circulatory system,aiding in the preventionof heart disease. According to the researchers, walnuts are the firstwhole food to show such cardiovascular benefits. The study waspublished in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association(March/April 2004).Research from The Pennsylvania State University showing that an ALAdiet improves vascular function was reported at the American HeartAssociation's 5th Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis,and Vascular Biology in San Francisco (May 2004). Lead author Sheila G.West, Ph.D.says, "Our findings suggest that the special kind of fattyacids that are present in walnuts can improvethe function of arteries and allow them to dilate better."Additionally, a University of San Francisco study published in Strokein l995 found omega-3s reduced the incidence of stroke. California'sLoma Linda University, in 1993 clinical trials, was the first to findthat walnuts in a controlled diet reduced "bad" LDL cholesterol andheart disease risk significantly more than the Step 1 diet that wasthen recommended by the American Heart Association. Five walnut studiesreviewed in 2002 by the Life Sciences Research Office (LSRO) anindependent, non-profit organization that conducts peer-reviewedscientific reviews, prepares expert documents and manages scientificmeetings confirmed these findings, which also demonstrated that thewalnut diet out-performed a healthy Mediterranean diet. In addition,the Kyushu University (Japan) clinical study, also published in 2002,showed a healthy Asian-style diet to be even healthier with walnuts.
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Type:
Walnut
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Place of Origin:
United States
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