Did You Know That Walnuts Can Help You Live Longer? See More Reasons Why You Should Eat Walnuts Everyday

Walnut is an edible seed of the tree nut Juglans regia. The plant originated in India and the regions surrounding the Caspian Sea, and in the 4th century AD, the ancient Romans introduced the walnut to many European countries. The tree serves a multitude of uses; it can be used as food (edible seed), medicine, furniture and dye. The walnut seed has a number of health benefits ranging from weight management to prevention and slowing of various cancers.


Here are top 10 reasons to eat walnuts every day

1# Helps weight loss: Contrary to what people believe, walnuts can form a part of weight management diet. Several studies have suggested that regular consumption of walnuts is unlikely to cause weight gain or obesity. In fact, an ounce of walnuts contains 2.5g of omega 3 fats, 4g of protein and 2g of fibre that help provide satiety. Any successful weight management plan must include satiety factor; so walnut is undoubtedly the right food to consider if you are into a weight management programme. Despite being ‘dense in calories, walnuts can be an important tool in helping you lose weight.

2# Induces sleep: Walnuts contain a compound called melatonin, responsible for conveying messages regarding the cycle of light and dark to the body. Since melatonin is already synthesised by the body, consumption of walnuts increases the blood levels of melatonin, thereby inducing sleep. That’s why eating walnuts can be a great way to improve sleep.

3# Great for your hair: Walnut is a good ‘hair food’ too. This is because walnuts contain biotin (vitamin B7) that helps strengthen hair, reduce hair fall and improve hair growth to certain extent. In addition to walnuts, you can try these foods to prevent hair loss.

4# Prevents heart disease: Among all the dietary plants and nuts, walnuts contain the highest amount of antioxidants. Around 100 g of walnuts will give more than 20 mmol antioxidants, which makes them extremely effective in combating heart disease by their ability to destroy free radicals. They are also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that lowers bad cholesterol and increases the production of good cholesterol making it a great snack to keep your heart in great health.

5# Prevents diabetes: All types of nuts are associated with a lowered risk of diabetes and walnuts are no exception. According to a study, women who consumed 28 grams of walnuts twice a week were 24% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition, and even though it was conducted on women, experts believe that the benefits would be similar for men too.

6# Boosts your sperm quality: Eating 2.5 ounces of walnuts per day improves semen quality in healthy young men, researchers say. According to a study by UCLA researchers, eating 75 grams of walnuts a day improves the vitality, motility, and morphology of sperm in healthy men aged 21 to 35 

7# Makes your skin glow: Walnuts are rich in B-vitamins and antioxidants that prevents your skin from free radical damage and prevents wrinkles and signs of ageing. So if you want glowing skin long into your middle-age, eat walnuts.

8# Can keep dementia at bay: Eating walnuts everyday can help ward off dementia, say scientists. In the study, Dr. Abha Chauhan and his team from the New York State Institute found that mice deprived of walnuts suffered a dramatic loss in learning, memory and physical and emotional control. According to the results, vitamin E and flavanoids in walnuts helped destroy harmful free radical chemicals that cause dementia. You may read more to find out how walnuts help prevent Alzheimer’s.

9# Prevents pancreatic cancer: A new study has found that consumption of nuts, including walnuts, is inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, independent of other potential risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Researchers looked at the association between nut consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer among 75,680 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, with no previous history of cancer. It was observed that the women who consumed a one-ounce serving of nuts two or more times per week had a significantly reduced risk of pancreatic cancer compared to those who largely abstained from nuts.

10# Helps you live longer: Eating a handful of walnuts just thrice a week is the key to a longer life, a study has found. Scientists discovered that these edible seeds cut the risk of dying from cancer by 40 per cent and from cardiovascular disease by at least 55 per cent. In general, nut eaters in the research had a 39 per cent lesser risk of death and walnut eaters in particular a 45 per cent reduced threat.