It turns out that I’m in luck — I’m personally a huge fan of walnuts, whether eating them raw, roasted, or chopped and sprinkled atop an awesome salad (that salad should incidentally always include walnuts’ magical soulmate: apples). My favorite way to eat them is however straight out of their shells. That fresh crunch is just incomparable. I’ve also long heard about the health benefits of walnuts. Read on to find out just how deliciously good they are — both for your taste buds and your body!
First, according to well-founded research, eating a handful of nuts every day is a great way to protect yourself against heart disease. Just four hours after eating nuts or consuming nut oil, doctors observed vast improvements in cholesterol levels and blood vessel flexibility, according to this website.
Regular intake is key to harnessing the benefits of the nuts, according to Dr. Penny Kris Etherton.
“By consuming just a handful of walnuts or walnut oil for four days in a week you can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease,” he says.
Walnuts may help reduce not only the risk of prostate cancer, but breast cancer as well, according to this site. In one study, mice that ate the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower-growing prostate tumors compared to the control group that consumed the same amount of fat but from other sources. Amazing!
Photo: Pixabay
Walnuts contain several unique and powerful antioxidants that are available in only a few commonly eaten foods. In fact, walnuts contain antioxidants that are so powerful that researchers called them remarkable, and research has shown that walnut polyphenols may help prevent chemically-induced liver damage.
In addition, adding the magic nut to your diet can help you to maintain your ideal weight over time. In one review of 31 trials, those whose diets included extra nuts or nuts substituted for other foods lost about 1.4 extra pounds and half an inch from their waists.
Finally, here’s another surprising benefit: ancient Romans believed walnuts were a sex enhancer, and reportedly threw the nuts at newlyweds. Walnuts were also used by the ancient British to treat mental illness, attributing its benefit to the brain shape of its kernels.
Photo: Flickr
At the end of the day, whatever reason you choose to eat walnuts is a good reason! 🙂
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