Walnuts are a healthy nut that’s chock full of essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
They’re also easy to include in your diet.
To say that walnuts are a nutritious food is a bit of an understatement.
This activity comes from vitamin E, melatonin, and plant compounds called polyphenols, which are found in particularly large amounts in the papery skin of walnuts.
A 2022 study in healthy adults over age 60 showed that eating a walnut-rich meal reduced the participants’ levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
If LDL cholesterol builds up in your arteries, it can cause atherosclerosis.
Walnuts are significantly higher in omega-3 fatty acids than any other nut, providing 2.5 grams (g)per 1-ounce (oz) serving.
Omega-3 fats from plants, including walnuts, is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It’s an essential fat, which means you have to get it from your diet.
2. May reduce inflammation
Inflammation, which can be caused by oxidative stress, is the root of many diseases, including:
- heart disease
- type 2 diabetes
- Alzheimer’s disease
- cancer
The polyphenols in walnuts can help fight oxidative stress and inflammation.
A subgroup of polyphenols called ellagitannins may be especially involved.
Beneficial bacteria in your gut convert ellagitannins to compounds called urolithins, which may protect against inflammation.
3. Can promote a healthy gut
Studies suggest that if your gut is rich in health-promoting bacteria and other microbes (your gut microbiota), you’re more likely to have a healthy gut and good overall health.
An unhealthy composition of gut microbiota can contribute to inflammation and disease in your gut and elsewhere in your body, increasing your risk of obesity, heart disease, and cancer.
What you eat can significantly influence the makeup of your microbiota. Eating walnuts may be one way to support the health of your microbiota and your gut.
4. Can support weight management
Eating walnuts may help regulate your appetite.
A well-controlled 2019 study in 10 people with obesity found that drinking a smoothie made with about 1.75 oz (48 g) of walnuts once per day for 5 days decreased the participants’ appetite and hunger. This was in comparison to a placebo drink equal in calories and nutrients.
5. May help with type 2 diabetes
An older 2017 study suggests one reason that walnuts are linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes is that they help manage weight.
Excess weight increases your risk of high blood sugar and diabetes. Eating walnuts may help regulate blood sugar by mechanisms beyond their influence on weight management.
6. May reduce blood pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
A small 2019 study suggests that eating walnuts may help lower blood pressure, including in people with high blood pressure.
7. May promote healthy aging
As you age, good physical functioning is essential for maintaining your mobility and independence.
One thing that may help you maintain your physical abilities is healthy eating habits.
In an older 2016 study involving more than 50,000 women over 18 years, scientists found that those with the healthiest diets had a 13% lower risk of physical impairment.
Walnuts were among the foods that made the strongest contribution to a healthy diet.
8. May help brain function
It may be just a coincidence that the shell of a walnut looks like a tiny brain, but some research suggests that this nut may indeed be good for your mind.
Some animal and human studies suggest that the nutrients and antioxidants in walnuts may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation by reducing free radicals.
9. May improve reproductive health
Typical Western diets — high in processed foods, sugar, and refined grains — have been linked to reduced sperm function, according to a 2022 review.
The same review notes that some animal research suggests eating walnuts may help protect sperm by reducing oxidative damage in their membranes.
10. May reduce blood fat levels
Elevated levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides have long been linked to an increased heart disease risk.
Regularly eating nuts, including walnuts, has been consistently shown to decrease cholesterol, according to a 2023 review.
