Eating Walnuts can improve your health in a wonderful way. Walnuts are excellent source of protein. They contain fiber abundantly. They are rich in B vitamins, vitamin E magnesium, and antioxidants. Most nuts are rich in plant sterols and so is walnut. Walnut contains monounsaturated. They also have in them the polyunsaturated fats known as omega-3 fatty acids, which are good fats. Omega-3 fatty acids can lower the bad cholesterol, otherwise known as Low Density Lipid or LDL cholesterol. Among the nuts, walnuts especially have higher amounts of fatty acids.
Walnuts have been observed to provide a number of health benefits. Their participation in a healthy diet has become inevitable these days. Scientific evidences are there to show that walnuts can reduce the risk of health disease. The reason is walnuts improve the elasticity of the blood vessels. They also fight against plaque accumulation. As walnuts help in lowering the LDL cholesterol, they contribute to the health of heart. Walnuts also contain C-reactive protein (CRP). It has been found that CRP is a marker by itself and hence helps predicting heart disease.
Walnuts began gaining reputation since 2003 when the Foods and Drugs Administration approved the health benefits of walnuts including their contribution in preventing heart disease. The FDA approved a health claim for the nuts such as almonds, peanuts, walnuts and some pine nuts. These nuts contain saturated fats less than 4 grams per 50 grams of the nuts. This is an outstanding property of these nuts. Again, in 2004, the FDA further recognized the health benefits of walnuts and approved its health claims.
Research shows that consuming 1.5 oz of walnuts a day, without increasing the caloric intake, can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. However, walnuts should form part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet in such cases. In general, consuming nuts should be in moderate quantities as they contain high calories. Therefore, if you take more walnuts than permitted, you should avoid adding further calories in your daily diet. This can give you most health benefits of walnuts. The only way for you to take more walnuts is by replacing your saturated fats such as meat and cheese with walnuts to achieve an optimum level of calories. About 20 walnut halves can replace 1.5 oz a day of your tasty treats.
Walnuts add flavor to your dishes. You can eat walnuts as snacks instead of cookies. You can replace your meat items with toss toasted walnuts. These nuts can improve the taste of your salad or pasta. You can use chopped walnuts instead of pepperoni for your pizza. No doubt you derive protein from eggs or bacons, but use walnuts for the same benefit. You can sprinkle walnut bits over oatmeal or cereal and take your breakfast.
Walnut contains melatonin too. This hormone triggers sleep and also regulates it. The omega-3 of walnuts protects your bones. Walnuts protect you against cardiovascular diseases. You will not become fat just eating walnuts. Walnuts actually encourage weight loss. Therefore using walnuts increases the taste of your foods, particularly when you are on a diet for weight loss.