Nutrition Research
Over the years, walnuts have become one of the most widely researched tree nuts with extensive scientific studies conducted on the benefits for cardiovascular disease[3] and cognitive health[4], specifically fighting against cognitive decline from aging. Furthermore, there is research suggesting walnuts can have positive effects on gut health5, diabetes and metabolic syndrome[6], weight[7], and cancer[8].
Cardiovascular Health
A newly identified “metabolic signature” can evaluate the individual consumption and metabolic response to walnut consumption and has been associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to new research[9] in collaboration between Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and two Spanish universities (University Rovira i Virgili and University of Navarra). In the study, a total of 19 metabolites were significantly connected with walnut consumption. This metabolite profile, which was linked to walnut consumption, was also found to be associated with a decrease in the risk of incident type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease among participants with an existing high cardiovascular risk.
Cognitive Function
A new study[10] published in Public Health Nutrition explored the relationship between walnut consumption and cognitive function, focusing on an older population.
The results of the study found that those individuals who consumed walnuts showed higher cognitive scores at the baseline compared to those who did not consume walnuts. Another study[11] suggested that a diet with walnuts can reduce oxidative stress by decreasing the generation of free radicals and by boosting antioxidant defense, thus resulting in decreased oxidative damage to lipids and proteins.
This plays an important role in the aging process, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and other brain disorders.
Additional Health Benefits of Walnuts
As previously stated, consumption of walnuts can potentially offer a wide variety of health benefits. Among those is benefits against diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Including walnuts in your diet can be a healthy way to handle problems that arise from diabetes and metabolic syndrome[12].
Regarding weight, a study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School suggested that consuming walnuts could reduce hunger by providing a feeling of being full[13]. Moreover, breast cancer[14], colon cancer[15], and prostate cancer[16] have been a focus of animal and cellular-based research, showing the potential health benefits of walnuts against these cancers. Gut health is another area where research has suggested walnuts can help. Studies report that adding walnuts to your diet may be associated with positive changes in gut microbiome[17,18].
References
1. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release April, 2018.
2. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods.
3. Guasch-Ferré, M., Hernández-Alonso, P., Drouin-Chartier, J. P., Ruiz-Canela, M., Razquin, C., Toledo, E., … & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2020). Walnut Consumption, Plasma Metabolomics, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. The Journal of Nutrition.
4. Bishop, N. J., & Zuniga, K. E. (2020). Investigating walnut consumption and cognitive trajectories in a representative sample of older US adults. Public Health Nutrition, 1-12.
5. Holscher, H. D., Guetterman, H. M., Swanson, K. S., An, R., Matthan, N. R., Lichtenstein, A. H., … & Baer, D. J. (2018). Walnut consumption alters the gastrointestinal microbiota, microbially derived secondary bile acids, and health markers in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of nutrition, 148(6), 861-867.
6. Arab, L., Dhaliwal, S. K., Martin, C. J., Larios, A. D., Jackson, N. J., & Elashoff, D. (2018). Association between walnut consumption and diabetes risk in NHANES. Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews, 34(7), e3031.
7. Stevenson, J. L., Paton, C. M., & Cooper, J. A. (2017). Hunger and satiety responses to highfat meals after a high polyunsaturated fat diet: a randomized trial. Nutrition, 41, 14-23.
8. Hardman, W. E. (2014). Walnuts have potential for cancer prevention and treatment in mice. The Journal of nutrition, 144(4), 555S-560S.
9. Guasch-Ferré, M., Hernández-Alonso, P., Drouin-Chartier, J. P., Ruiz-Canela, M., Razquin, C., Toledo, E., … & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2020). Walnut Consumption, Plasma Metabolomics, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. The Journal of Nutrition.
10. Bishop, N. J., & Zuniga, K. E. (2020). Investigating walnut consumption and cognitive trajectories in a representative sample of older US adults. Public Health Nutrition, 1-12.
11. Chauhan, A., & Chauhan, V. (2020). Beneficial Effects of Walnuts on Cognition and Brain Health. Nutrients, 12(2), 550.
12. Arab, L., Dhaliwal, S. K., Martin, C. J., Larios, A. D., Jackson, N. J., & Elashoff, D. (2018). Association between walnut consumption and diabetes risk in NHANES. Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews, 34(7), e3031.
13. Brennan, A. M., Sweeney, L. L., Liu, X., & Mantzoros, C. S. (2010). Walnut consumption increases satiation but has no effect on insulin resistance or the metabolic profile over a 4-day period. Obesity, 18(6), 1176-1182.
14. Hardman, W. E., Ion, G., Akinsete, J. A., & Witte, T. R. (2011). Dietary walnut suppressed mammary gland tumorigenesis in the C (3) 1 TAg mouse. Nutrition and cancer, 63(6), 960-970.
15. Nakanishi, M., Chen, Y., Qendro, V., Miyamoto, S., Weinstock, E.,Weinstock, G. M., & Rosenberg, D. W. (2016). Effects of walnut consumption on colon carcinogenesis and microbial community structure. Cancer Prevention Research, 9(8), 692-703.
16. Sánchez-González, C., Izquierdo-Pulido, M., & Noé, V. (2016). Urolithin A causes p21 up-regulation in prostate cancer cells. European journal of nutrition, 55(3), 1099-1112.
17. Holscher, H. D., Guetterman, H. M., Swanson, K. S., An, R., Matthan, N. R., Lichtenstein, A. H., …& Baer, D. J. (2018). Walnut consumption alters the gastrointestinal microbiota, microbially derived secondary bile acids, and health markers in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of nutrition, 148(6), 861-867.
18. Byerley, L. O., Samuelson, D., Blanchard IV, E., Luo, M., Lorenzen, B. N., Banks, S., … & Taylor, C. M. (2017). Changes in the gut microbial communities following addition of walnuts to the diet. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 48, 94-102.
2. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods.
3. Guasch-Ferré, M., Hernández-Alonso, P., Drouin-Chartier, J. P., Ruiz-Canela, M., Razquin, C., Toledo, E., … & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2020). Walnut Consumption, Plasma Metabolomics, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. The Journal of Nutrition.
4. Bishop, N. J., & Zuniga, K. E. (2020). Investigating walnut consumption and cognitive trajectories in a representative sample of older US adults. Public Health Nutrition, 1-12.
5. Holscher, H. D., Guetterman, H. M., Swanson, K. S., An, R., Matthan, N. R., Lichtenstein, A. H., … & Baer, D. J. (2018). Walnut consumption alters the gastrointestinal microbiota, microbially derived secondary bile acids, and health markers in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of nutrition, 148(6), 861-867.
6. Arab, L., Dhaliwal, S. K., Martin, C. J., Larios, A. D., Jackson, N. J., & Elashoff, D. (2018). Association between walnut consumption and diabetes risk in NHANES. Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews, 34(7), e3031.
7. Stevenson, J. L., Paton, C. M., & Cooper, J. A. (2017). Hunger and satiety responses to highfat meals after a high polyunsaturated fat diet: a randomized trial. Nutrition, 41, 14-23.
8. Hardman, W. E. (2014). Walnuts have potential for cancer prevention and treatment in mice. The Journal of nutrition, 144(4), 555S-560S.
9. Guasch-Ferré, M., Hernández-Alonso, P., Drouin-Chartier, J. P., Ruiz-Canela, M., Razquin, C., Toledo, E., … & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2020). Walnut Consumption, Plasma Metabolomics, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. The Journal of Nutrition.
10. Bishop, N. J., & Zuniga, K. E. (2020). Investigating walnut consumption and cognitive trajectories in a representative sample of older US adults. Public Health Nutrition, 1-12.
11. Chauhan, A., & Chauhan, V. (2020). Beneficial Effects of Walnuts on Cognition and Brain Health. Nutrients, 12(2), 550.
12. Arab, L., Dhaliwal, S. K., Martin, C. J., Larios, A. D., Jackson, N. J., & Elashoff, D. (2018). Association between walnut consumption and diabetes risk in NHANES. Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews, 34(7), e3031.
13. Brennan, A. M., Sweeney, L. L., Liu, X., & Mantzoros, C. S. (2010). Walnut consumption increases satiation but has no effect on insulin resistance or the metabolic profile over a 4-day period. Obesity, 18(6), 1176-1182.
14. Hardman, W. E., Ion, G., Akinsete, J. A., & Witte, T. R. (2011). Dietary walnut suppressed mammary gland tumorigenesis in the C (3) 1 TAg mouse. Nutrition and cancer, 63(6), 960-970.
15. Nakanishi, M., Chen, Y., Qendro, V., Miyamoto, S., Weinstock, E.,Weinstock, G. M., & Rosenberg, D. W. (2016). Effects of walnut consumption on colon carcinogenesis and microbial community structure. Cancer Prevention Research, 9(8), 692-703.
16. Sánchez-González, C., Izquierdo-Pulido, M., & Noé, V. (2016). Urolithin A causes p21 up-regulation in prostate cancer cells. European journal of nutrition, 55(3), 1099-1112.
17. Holscher, H. D., Guetterman, H. M., Swanson, K. S., An, R., Matthan, N. R., Lichtenstein, A. H., …& Baer, D. J. (2018). Walnut consumption alters the gastrointestinal microbiota, microbially derived secondary bile acids, and health markers in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of nutrition, 148(6), 861-867.
18. Byerley, L. O., Samuelson, D., Blanchard IV, E., Luo, M., Lorenzen, B. N., Banks, S., … & Taylor, C. M. (2017). Changes in the gut microbial communities following addition of walnuts to the diet. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 48, 94-102.