If you are like most people and have a crazy busy schedule, you probably feel like you don’t always have time to take care of yourself as well as you should. The good news is that there are many small things that you can do to help improve your health, even on the busiest of days. One of these is adding walnuts to your daily diet. Below are some of the best health benefits that come from these tiny, power-packed treats.
Walnuts Can Lower Your Cancer Risk
Cancer, like heart disease, is still a top killer in the United States, Europe, and many other parts of the world. Walnuts can lower the chances of cancer due to a number of their active ingredients, including ellagic acid (a powerful antioxidant), as well as compounds called phytosterols and omega-3 fatty acids. Research has shown that all of these compounds have anti-cancer properties and recent study found that people with a higher intake of walnuts had a greatly reduced chance of pancreatic cancer.
Walnuts Are Great For Your Brain
Walnuts aren’t just healthy for your heart, they are also great for your brain and can help manage a variety of problems, like depression and cognitive issues such as loss of memory or difficulty concentrating. In one 8-week study, participants who ate walnuts showed an improvement in memory and learning skills.
Walnuts Are A Great Part Of A Vegetarian Diet
If you are vegetarian or vegan, protein is an important part of your life — and without meat and dairy products, this can be a difficult thing to get. However, walnuts (and other ground and tree nuts) can help you to get the protein that you need even if your diet is mostly or entirely plant-based. They can be made into vegetarian, high-protein dishes like nut loafs or vegetarian burgers to keep you healthy, no matter what your dietary restrictions are.
Walnuts Can Help Improve Your Sleep
If you have problems with getting a good night’s sleep, walnuts just might be the perfect bedtime snack for you. Walnuts are rich in melatonin, a neurohormone which regulates the circadian rhythm of your sleep-wake cycle and helps you to get the rest you need to face the day. If you have insomnia, consider adding walnuts to your diet: they can help you treat your problem naturally without the use of medications.
Walnuts Will Give You Beautiful Skin
Good skin is a prerequisite for beauty, and eating walnuts every day can help you achieve the glowing complexion you want naturally. That is because walnuts are rich in B-complex vitamins, which are powerful antioxidants that can protect skin from the aging process and reduce the risks of wrinkling.
Walnuts Are Great For Your Digestion
Walnuts are rich in both protein and healthy fats, but they are also a great source of fiber! As a matter of fact, a cup of walnuts will give you 7.8 grams of fiber. Fiber is great for keeping the digestive process going and for preventing problems like constipation that can cause pain and bloating.
Walnuts Improve Your Heart Health
Heart disease is still a major health concern for Americans and those in other developed nations — it is actually the number one cause of death around the world. The good news is that there are many lifestyle choices that can help reduce your chances of developing this condition. One of these is adding walnuts to your diet. Walnuts are rich in alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), catechins like EPA and DHA, and copper, all of which have been shown in clinical studies to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, increase circulation, and decrease inflammation.
Walnuts Help You Lose Weight
Many people avoid walnuts and other nuts when they are dieting because they are calorie-dense foods that are high in fat. However, these are healthy fats and, in combination with their proteins and fiber, they help to reduce the appetite naturally. This can make it easier to eat fewer calories and lose weight without as much effort. Several studies have shown that people who included walnuts in their diet regularly lost more weight than those who did not.
Walnuts Are Versatile And Easy To Add To Your Diet
More great news? There are lots of quick and easy ways to get more walnuts in your diet, like the 5 recipes below.
1. Rum Walnut Cake
2. African Squash Soup with Walnut Cream
3. Blue Cheese Walnut Green Beans
4. Apple Walnut Muffins
5. Caramel Nut Tart
Try these recipes today! The health benefits of walnuts range from boosting heart health to aiding in weight loss and ensuring that you have younger-looking skin. Including them in your diet is a simple, easy way to help improve your health — even with the busiest of schedules!
