Last week when I came home I found a box of Californian walnuts waiting for me. It was a pleasant surprise and it had been packed very nicely. The walnuts were in a wooden box and along with it I found a book titled “California Walnuts Nutrition and Health” by Geetu Amarnani, a Nutritionist and Lifestyle Management Consultant.
I found the book to be very interesting as I got to know about the benefits of walnuts and various recipes and preparations through which I can incorporate walnuts in my daily diet.
According to Dr. H.K Chopra an ounce i.e. 28 g of walnuts a day keep many ailments like cardiac attacks at bay. They reduce LDL bad cholesterol and give 2.5 gms of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) per serving and are the richest source of omega -3 fatty acids which are not manufactured by our body and obtained though diet.
Walnuts contain other minerals and vitamins like magnesium and phosphorus, which are important minerals in energy metabolism, bone health and regulating heart rhythm. Walnuts are a rich source of antioxidants as compared to any other nut. Not just that, Californian walnuts are delicious and eating 1.5 ounce per day promotes heart health, raises HDL cholesterol, decreases blood pressure, and improves the arterial function so as a result making them an essential food for reducing cardiovascular risk. Moreover research has proved that incorporating the right type of fat especially the type found in walnuts is important and helpful to people with diabetes as walnuts help in managing the metabolic syndrome which increases the risk for coronary disease, stroke, liver and kidney diseases and type-2 diabetes.
According to Geetu Amarnani an ounce i.e. a handful of walnuts provide 4 g of protein and 2 g of fiber and fiber provides a feeling of fullness which promotes weight management, lowers cholesterol and improves blood glucose levels. Walnuts are also loaded with omega-3s, which makes them a good brain food as the brain needs high-quality fats like omega-3s to function properly.
According to researchers, eating walnuts as a part of a Mediterranean diet was associated with better memory and brain function and the antioxidants present in walnuts may help counteract age-related cognitive decline and reduce the risk of neurogenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s.
The taste, the flavour and nutritional value makes it ideal to be used in salads and recipes like walnut halwa, chicken kofta, seekh kebabs, various puddings, cakes and desserts and I will enjoy eating walnuts more now that I have known all the nutritional and health benefits of them. I will also try to have walnuts as an anytime snack as now I know walnuts are naturally gluten, sodium and cholesterol free.
You must be logged in to post a comment.