If you're not yet a fan of walnuts, hold on tight. You're about to become a devoted fan of this superfood.
Walnuts have been the subject of numerous scientific studies that continue to reveal their health benefits. Whether it's heart health, digestion, or cognition, walnuts seem to positively impact various aspects of our well-being. Even the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend including nuts, like walnuts, in the diets of both adults and children due to their exceptional nutritional profile.
As science continues to explore what this nut can offer, nutrition experts below share the latest and greatest health benefits of walnuts, as well as some delicious tips on how to incorporate them into your diet.
Walnut Nutritional Values
Walnuts are rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which have shown potential to reduce inflammation and support heart health, cognition, and mental well-being. But that's not all these delicious nuts have to offer. Here's what a 30-gram serving of walnuts provides:
- Calories: 185
- Total Fat: 18.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Added Sugar: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Vitamin D: 0 mcg
- Calcium: 28 mg
- Iron: 1 mg
- Potassium: 125 mg
Health Benefits of Walnuts
Walnuts are known for their heart health benefits due to their antioxidant content, but recent research suggests that consuming this nut could also help fill nutritional gaps in adults and children. Other studies support their benefits for gut health, memory, mood, blood sugar, reproductive health, and much more.
Supports Heart Health
While most nuts are heart-healthy, walnuts are certified by the American Heart Association as a "heart-healthy food." This means they meet the organization's criteria, including being low in sodium, saturated fats, and trans fats while containing at least 10% of the daily recommended value for vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein, or dietary fiber.
Heart-healthy foods can positively impact your lipid profile, often helping to reduce "bad cholesterol," such as LDL (low-density lipoprotein). And research supports this. Not only have decades of research shown the heart health benefits of walnuts, but more recent studies confirm these results. A 2021 study published in *Circulation* found that older adults who consumed about two servings of walnuts per day for two years reduced their LDL cholesterol levels. High LDL cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis, which is a buildup of plaque in your blood vessels, increasing the risk of stroke or heart attack over time. Samina Kalloo, a registered dietitian in New York, explains, "The rich polyphenol content of walnuts combats this type of inflammation and oxidative stress."
May Improve Gut Health
The latest research on gut health highlights how trendy this nut is in the world of biotics, particularly prebiotics. A 2023 review published in *Antioxidants* shared that walnuts have the potential to act as a prebiotic by serving as "food" for beneficial microbes in your gastrointestinal system. While more research is needed in this area, the results suggest that consuming walnuts as part of a healthy diet could help reduce inflammation and support gut health. Since we know that prebiotics feed probiotics, which then bring positive benefits to the host (i.e., you), this research reinforces the beneficial properties of walnuts linked to their polyphenol content. The polyphenols in walnuts are metabolized by the gut microbiota to create bioactive and anti-inflammatory compounds. Adding more walnuts to your diet can help you reap these digestive health benefits.
Helps Improve Memory and Cognitive Health
Thanks largely to their omega-3 fatty acid content, "Walnuts contain nutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that may help combat oxidative stress and ultimately delay or reduce the progression of cognitive decline," shares Kalloo. Research, both animal and human, reported in a 2020 study published in *Nutrients* has shown that walnut consumption had positive effects on memory and brain function. Snacking on a serving (or two) of this brain-shaped nut could be the key to reducing inflammation and fending off free radicals. This is important because free radicals can damage cells and lead to diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia over time.
Promotes Quality Diets in Adults and Children
New research published in 2023 in the journal *Nutrients* revealed that adding a small handful of walnuts to the diets of children, adolescents, and adults increased their intake of healthful fats and under-consumed nutrients like potassium, magnesium, fiber, and folate. "What's interesting about this study," shares Wendy Jo Peterson, culinary dietitian and cookbook author, "is that Americans are constantly being told what they need to eliminate from their diets to be healthier. This study showed that a simple addition to one's diet could not only fill nutritional gaps but also help families increase their intake of plant-based foods."
May Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health
"Walnuts are rich in neuro-supportive compounds, including melatonin, folate, vitamin E, and polyphenols, all of which may be beneficial for mental health," shares Kalloo. A 2022 study published in *Nutrients* found that consuming about two servings of walnuts per day for 16 weeks improved self-reported levels of stress and depression, helped prolong sleep duration, and improved overall mental health. Additionally, the results showed that walnut consumption also led to improvements in the microbiome.
May Help Manage Blood Sugar
"The combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats in walnuts can help stabilize blood sugar levels," shares Kalloo. This can be particularly important for managing type 2 diabetes. A 2023 review published in *Nutrients* showed that a higher overall intake of nuts, including walnuts, was associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. It's also important to remember that the risk of heart disease and other conditions increases with diabetes. Snacking on walnuts is a great way to enjoy the benefits of omega-3s that can also improve heart health.
Tips for Incorporating Walnuts into a Healthy Diet
A great way to consume more walnuts is simply to keep them handy at all times. Be sure to add roasted and raw walnuts to your kitchen staples, and try them in these nutritious and delicious ways recommended by Kalloo and Peterson:
- Add a handful of walnuts to a salad instead of croutons, or use them to top a vegetable stir-fry.
- Incorporate crushed walnuts into your pancake, muffin, or quick bread batter for additional health benefits.
- Mix crushed walnuts into unsweetened yogurt or your morning oatmeal and add fresh fruit for natural sweetness.
- If you're looking to reduce your meat consumption, Peterson suggests replacing about 225 g of ground beef with coarsely chopped walnuts in chili, tacos, or spaghetti sauce. Our celery root and walnut tacos are a great starting point.
- Crush walnuts and substitute them for traditional breadcrumbs in recipes like our walnut and rosemary crusted salmon.
Conclusion
Unless you have a walnut allergy or intolerance, nutrition experts advise regularly including this superfood in your diet. From recent research highlighting walnuts' role in gut health to longstanding studies showing their benefits for heart, cognitive, and mental health, there are plenty of positive reasons to consume this nut. If you're struggling to get used to the taste of walnuts, try them in familiar recipes like these classic walnut brownies or as a simple side with our blue cheese and walnut green beans.
