Nutritious, healthy food can be delicious and so versatile – if there’s any food item that can make us believe this statement 100 percent, it’s California Walnuts! Whether consumed straight out of the shell, chopped or ground into walnut flour, blended into butter or milk, or added to curries, these walnuts provide us with an array of essential nutrients that support our health. To be precise, a handful of California walnuts (approx. 28g) boasts 2.5g of plant-based omega-3 ALA, 4g protein, and 2g of fiber. And that’s not it, California walnuts are grown and processed under strict quality control standards to deliver a high-quality product for you and your family to enjoy year-round. They come with a promise of mild, creamy flavor, and soft, pleasant texture – which makes them an excellent choice for a variety of dishes.
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Celebrity Nutritionist, Ryan Fernando
The secret to this amazing nutritional content, high quality, and pleasing flavour lies in the orchard to table process, followed by our team at California Walnuts, including the stringent quality controls that are laid down – all to ensure only the best walnuts reach you and your family.
A nut this nutritious and flavorsome deserves to be celebrated, and rightly so, every year, May 17 is marked and celebrated as National Walnut Day. Yes, in the middle of summer because even though many believe it is a winter food, walnuts can be enjoyed all year round and may help you stay fueled, focused, and energized.
On the occasion of National Walnut Day this year, allow us to reiterate with research-backed benefits on why you must choose California walnuts over the regular. Also, we have a quick guide on simple ways to incorporate them into your meals – from breakfast to dinner.
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Walnuts
Loaded with Plant-Based Omega-3 fatty acids
Of all the essential nutrients and fats that our body needs for overall health, the omega-3 fatty acid is one that our body can’t build from scratch, and hence it is dependent on foods that are a rich source of the same. Walnuts are the only nut that are an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 ALA – 2.5 g per 28 g – an essential nutrient that plays a role in healthy aging, heart and brain health.1,2,3
Rich in antioxidants
Among tree nuts and peanuts, walnuts have the greatest amount of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that is a beneficial plant compound that may play a role in various diseases and health outcomes.4 The polyphenols in walnut may also play a beneficial role in cancer, heart health, cognitive health, and inflammation.5
Way to a healthy heart
Over three decades of research have shown that walnuts may be beneficial for our cardiovascular health. They help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and decrease blood pressure, two of the major risk factors for heart disease. 6,7 And that’s not it. Research has shown the potentially beneficial role of plant-based omega-3 ALA in walnuts in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack.8
A healthy gut too!
In the past couple of years, amid the pandemic, gut health has enjoyed a lot of spotlight, and why wouldn’t it! After all, it contributes to a strong immune system, heart and brain health, among other benefits. It is found that walnuts may play a role in a healthier gut. It’s mainly their prebiotic potential that contributes to positive changes in the gut microbiome.9
Weight management made easy
One of the grave problems that Indians are facing today is obesity. As per the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, India is presently home to over 135 million obese people.10 One of the saviors from this can be a handful of walnuts. As part of a healthy diet, these nuts provide the body with essential nutrients – from plant-based protein to good fats that help you feel full and satisfied for longer and promote weight management. Research has found that ‘an increase in consumption of walnuts and other tree nuts by half a serving per day is associated with a 15 percent and 11 percent lower risk of developing obesity and lesser weight gain’.11
From breakfast to dinner: How to incorporate walnuts into your meals
California Walnuts, also great plant-based meat substitutes, are one of the most versatile ingredients, and these wonder nuts blend easily and soak in the flavor of their fellow food to ensure elevated taste and flavor. If you’re confused about how to incorporate walnuts into your daily meals, we’ve got a bunch of suggestions to get you started. Kickstart your day with a nutrition-packed smoothie laced with the goodness of walnuts. For breakfast or brunch, spread some crunchy coconut and walnut butter on a slice of your favorite bread, or indulge in aaloo walnut paneer paratha. For lunch, whip up a bowlful of pasta with walnut spinach pesto and mushrooms. During snack hours, when you’re craving food but don’t want an elaborate meal, munch on a handful of walnuts. And as far as the last meal of the day is concerned go all out and prepare some walnut paneer makhani with roti or rice.
References
1 Sala-Vila A, Guasch-Ferre M, Hu FB, et al. Dietary α-linolenic acid, marine ω-3 fatty acids, and mortality in a population with high fish consumption: findings from the PREvencion con DIetaMEDiterránea (PREDIMED) study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016;5(2):e002077. doi:10.1161/JAHA.116.002077
2 Fleming JA, Kris-Etherton PM. The evidence for α-linolenic acid and cardiovascular disease benefits: comparisons with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. AdvNutr. 2014;5(6):863S-76S. doi: 10.3945/an.114.005850.
3 Barcelo-Coblijn G, Murphy EJ. Alpha-linolenic acid and its conversion to longer chain n3 fatty acids: Benefits for human health and a role in maintaining tissue n-3 fatty acid levels. Prog Lipid Res. 2009;48(6):355-74. doi: 10.1016/j.plipres.2009.07.002.
4 Vinson JA, Cai Y. Nuts, especially walnuts, have both antioxidant quantity and efficacy and exhibit significant potential health benefits. Food Funct. 2012;3(2):134–140. doi:10.1039/c2fo10152a
5 Sanchez-Gonzalez C, Ciudad CJ, Noe V, Izquierdo-Pulido M. Health benefits of walnut polyphenols: An exploration beyond their lipid profile. Crit Rev Food SciNutr. 2017;57(16):3373–3383. doi:10.1080/10408398.2015.1126218
6 1FDA approved claim: Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, March 2004. One ounce of walnuts provides 18g of total fat, 2.5g of monounsaturated fat, 13g of polyunsaturated fat, including 2.5g of alpha-linolenic acid, the plant-based omega-3.
7 2Kris-Etherton P. Walnuts decrease risk of cardiovascular disease: a summary of efficacy and biologic mechanisms. J Nutr. 2014; 10: 39:2S-8S.
8 Fleming JA, Kris-Etherton PM. The evidence for α-linolenic acid and cardiovascular disease benefits: comparisons with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. AdvNutr. 2014;5(6):863S-76S. doi: 10.3945/an.114.005850.
9 Baer/USDA/Gut Health/Jun 01 2018, Parhofer/Univ Munich/Gut Health/Feb 22 2018, Lamendella/Penn State/Gut Health/Dec 18 2020 (citations noted below in Health Research section)
10 Rujuta Sachin Hadaye, Rukman Mecca Manapurath, Barsha Pathak Gadapani. Obesity prevalence and determinants among young adults, with special focus on normal-weight obesity; a cross-sectional study in Mumbai. DOI: 10.4103/ijcm.IJCM_408_19
11 Liu X, Li Y, Guasch-Ferre M, et al. Changes in nut consumption influence long-term weight change in US men and women. BMJ NutrPrev Health. 2019;2:doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2019-000034.
