While they might look like any other dry fruit to you, walnuts, with their hard shells and soft inner components, are one of the most nutrient-rich foods out there. They may be tiny, but the nutritional breakdown of these walnuts and the benefits they provide are massive.

In fact, these nuts have gathered so much interest from researchers and scientists that for the past 50 years, an annual conference at the University of California, Davis, has been held to discuss the importance of this dry fruit significantly. Did this leave you intrigued to know more about walnuts and all the benefits that they can bring to your body? Well, you have landed on the right page. Hop on below to learn more.

A Nutritional Breakdown on Walnuts

Over the years, several studies have revealed that walnuts contain unsaturated fatty acids like omega-3, which are a good component for your health. This particular factor helps the body to reduce inflammation, support a healthy working heart, and enhance cognition and mental health, too.

However, this is not all where these tasty dry fruits limit their nutritional benefits. In fact, there is so much more that this tiny pod of goodness has to offer. Here is a breakdown of the nutritional components that a walnut can provide:

• Protein: 4g
• Calories: 185
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Vitamin D: Omcg
• Calcium: 28mg
• Iron: 1mg
• Potassium: 125 mg

What Benefits Do Walnuts Provide to the Body?

Now that you know the nutritional breakdown a walnut holds, it is time to hop on to understand all the benefits it can provide you. While walnuts are known for improving heart health, recent research has shown that these nuts can fill the nutrient gaps in both adults and kids. Here are all the excellent benefits one can extract from a small pod of walnuts:

Rich in Anti-Oxidants

Compared to any other common nut, walnuts hold the most antioxidant activity. The primary reason for this is that the nut contains vitamin E, melatonin, and a plant compound called polyphenols that are richly found on the paper-like skin of the walnut. Studies show that in any older adult above the age of 60, walnut-rich meals can potentially reduce the levels of LDL – which are bad cholesterols.

Lower Risk of Diabetes

Given they are rich in antioxidants, walnuts can help lower blood sugar levels as well. According to many researchers, anti-oxidants have anti-inflammatory effects as well. Inflammation, while a response to stress, can, at times, cause insulin resistance, which eventually prevents our body from absorbing the sugar. As a result, the sugar remains in the blood, eventually increasing the blood sugar levels. Through the anti-oxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory properties of walnuts, the blood sugar levels are maintained, and any risk of diabetes is prevented.

Better Gut Bacteria

According to recent findings, it was observed that people who consumed walnuts had more probiotics and good gut bacteria compared to those who did not. It has also been noticed that balanced gut health is linked to an individual not falling into depression or developing colon cancer.

Hence, it can be easily deduced that consuming walnuts can lead to an individual having better gut health, which ultimately tones down the risk of both depression and cancer.

Improved Brain Health

We all want a brain that works efficiently and is healthy, right? Well, it looks like the secret to achieving this is hidden in the pods of a walnut. The plant-based compounds in walnuts are known to reduce inflammation in the brain, all while improving an individual's memory and thinking ability.

Moreover, several studies also indicate that walnuts can protect the brain from oxidative stress, eventually preventing them from brain disorders like Alzheimer's.

Heart Health

The fats in the walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids called alpha-linolenic acid. This is the excellent fat that works towards preventing any form of heart condition if consumed as a daily part of your diet.

Moreover, given walnuts are rich in antioxidants, which reduce the levels of LDL, which are bad cholesterols and a harmful factor for the heart, it is easy to conclude that they can hence protect a person from conditions like stroke, heart attacks, etc.

Prevents Obesity

Though many might find it hard to believe because nuts are already high in calories, several studies have supported that people who consume nuts in healthy portions tend to experience a lower weight gain ratio compared to those who are obese and do not consume walnuts. The reasoning many scientists give for this is that because the nuts are higher in fiber, they may help satisfy hunger for long and hence secure people from consuming food too much.

Better Skin

Given that so many years have been spent explicitly studying the benefits of walnuts, it shouldn't be surprising that its impacts on the human skin came forward as well. Studies show that walnut has oily fatty acids, which, on consumption, our body converts into compounds that help make up our skin. Hence, scientists believe that if a person consumes enough omega-3 and 6 in their diet, their skin might improve for the better, and the body may also work towards improving many wounds faster.

Wrapping Up!

Walnuts are a pretty popular form of dry fruit worldwide, and if you are someone who has heard about the benefits it provides and wanted to read about it yourself, then we hope this article was helpful for you. If you have anything more to add, let us know for sure!