Walnuts Health Benefits

Of all the different types of nuts, walnuts are the ones which are most scrutinized by scientists and most popular among nutritionists. What makes walnuts the center of attraction?

The main reason why it is much talked about is because of the walnuts health benefits. If you are not particularly fond of this type of nuts, most likely knowing about its wonderful benefits would change your mind.

Natural Defense of the Heart

There are several amazing benefits that eating walnuts can do for your overall cardiovascular health. The omega 3 fatty acids are the primary reason why this is an excellent aid for heart health. This will help you prevent a myriad of cardiovascular problems like stroke, blood clots and other common ailments. The escalated amount of magnesium and Vitamin E further heightens the prowess of omega 3. The fact that walnuts also have a lot of potassium should not be easily forgotten too. Potassium is a great help when it comes to assisting the contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the heart. If your heart does not need to work double time just so its muscles would function the way it is supposed to, then you should not worry much about stroke.

Muscle Building

Muscle build up is also among the more popular walnuts health benefits. This type of nuts is rich in protein. This is the building block of muscle formation. Protein allows the body to regenerate muscle tissues. Aside from quickly repairing damaged tissues, it also makes them stronger and bigger. Contrary to what other people think, proteins do no only benefit body builders. This is also great for those who would like to lower their total body fat percentage.

Weight Loss

photo credit: flickr.com/Pauline Mak

Because of the low amount of fat and calories in walnuts, it is also recommended for people who would like to lose weight. Instead of eating high-calorie food during snacks, a handful is already enough to satisfy hunger. If you want to take a few pounds off your weight, snacking on walnuts will alleviate starvation without increasing your daily calorie intake.

Armor Against Cancer

Compared to other types of nuts, walnuts have twice the amount of antioxidants. If you have high level of antioxidants in the body, it is like having an army which is programmed to eradicate free radicals. It is important to lower the level of free radicals in your body because these triggers formation of cancer cells. All thanks to the impressive amount of antioxidants in walnuts, you can easily avoid breast and prostate cancer too. In Marshall University, a study that they conducted has proven that 2 ounces of walnuts everyday can slow down breast tumor growth by 50%.

Regulates Diabetes

People who have been suffering from diabetes should also consider eating walnuts daily. The components of walnuts result to enhanced endothelial action. With the help of walnuts, blood vessels are able to dilate when needed. Eating at least 2 handfuls of walnuts every day will give excellent results but each handful should be eaten with a few hours of interval. It is recommended to eat a handful in between lunch and breakfast, then another one during the afternoon snack.