14 Amazing Health Benefits Of Walnuts (Akhrot)

Introduction

Walnuts have been touted as the ‘brain food’ because they resemble one with their furrowed appearance. The funny thing is that research has proved that consuming walnuts regularly does improve brain function.   Easy to add to the diet, they are very rich in nutritional content. They are better than most other nuts, even almonds because they have a high amount of polyunsaturated fat, vitamins, and minerals like potassium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Fibre-rich and antioxidant-rich, walnuts trump all the other dry fruits on all accounts. Here are some of the benefits of walnuts. Add them as part of salads, over desserts or have them just as a snack.

Walnuts are extremely healthy, but they are among the eight most allergenic foods. Individuals allergic to walnuts must avoid them.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

Health Benefits of Walnuts

1. Anti-Cancer

Walnuts can combat the risks of cancer. They are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and other antioxidants which have been proven to fight cancer. Walnuts are especially beneficial for prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer.

2. Heart Healthy

Walnuts abound in monounsaturated fatty acids like alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid. They encourage a healthy lipid supply. Bad cholesterol gets lowered and increases good cholesterol levels. They are also beneficial in reducing high blood pressure.

According to a study, the consumption of walnuts is associated with a reduced risk of gall bladder removal. These nuts are rich in several compounds that may protect against gallstone disease.

Dr. Smita Barode, B.A.M.S, M.S.

3. Support Good Body Composition

Because they are high in fibre, walnuts make you feel fuller much after you have consumed a handful. They are very rich in protein and help in healthy weight loss.

4. Good For Diabetes

Having walnuts can reduce the risk of developing Type II diabetes. They provide an excellent serving of protein, healthy fat and fibre. Since they do not add to the kilos, diabetics can have them without worry.

5. Boost Metabolism

A handful of walnuts can provide a boost to a sluggish metabolism. They are replete with essential fatty acids and help with digestion, growth and development and other metabolic processes.

6. Good for the Bones

Walnuts help with the increased absorption of calcium in the body. They also reduce the excretion of calcium during metabolic processes.

Magnesium, a mineral found in abundance in walnuts, is important for bone formation as it helps in the absorption of calcium by the bone.

Dr. Anuja Bodhare, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

7. Anti-Inflammatory

Walnuts have anti-inflammatory properties. Many diseases like diabetes, rheumatism, arthritis, and others are because of inflammation. Consuming walnuts every day helps in combating these diseases better.

8. Good for Digestion

Walnuts (Akhrot) are fibre-rich. Because of this, they help clean the gut and help detoxify the body. They all bulk to the stool and combat constipation.

Fun fact! Having more health-promoting bacteria and other microbes can improve the health of your gut. One way of doing that is to consume walnuts. An unhealthy microbiota can result in inflammation in your gut, which can increase the risk of obesity, cancer and other chronic diseases. Hence, eating walnuts can prevent this from happening. For instance, incorporating it into your daily diet can increase butyrate-producing bacteria, which is a fat that improves gut health.

9. Beneficial for the Brain

No, we are not saying walnuts are good for your brain just because they might look like one. There have multiple studies that prove the benefits of walnuts for brain functioning. For instance, the nutrients found in the nut may play a role in preventing oxidative damage and inflammation inside the brain.

Some research was done through observing adults which pointed out the role of walnuts in improving their brain functioning, including better memory, faster processing speed, and overall mental flexibility.

Despite all these affirmations, more studies on the walnuts’ benefits on the human brain are still needed. In the meantime, you can always munch on some as they are good for you anyway.

Including walnuts in their diet might be helpful for students. Nutrients in walnuts can help take away the stress of studies by improving their grasping power and cognitive capacity.

Dr. Ashok Pal, BAMS

10. Induce Sleep

Walnuts help in the production of melatonin. It is a hormone that helps induce sleep. Have as an after-dinner snack and sleep like a baby.

Walnuts may help you get sound sleep. They contain a few compounds like melatonin, tryptophan and omega-3 fatty acids, which promote and regulate sleep.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

11. Improve Fertility

Walnuts help in the production of sperms and improving the quality of sperms. They add to their vitality and mobility.

12. Good for Skin and Hair

Free radicals in the environment cause the most damage to the body. They are responsible for creating dryness and wrinkles in the skin. Walnuts help fight these free radicals. Regular consumption of walnuts helps in reducing the dark circles under the eyes.

13. Helpful in Pregnancy

For proper fetal growth, pregnant women should take in sufficient amounts of folate. Walnuts are rich in Vitamin B complex and help with the healthy growth of the fetus.

14. Helps in Male Reproductive Health

Research suggests that amongst the many health benefits of walnuts, supporting sperm health and male fertility can be one of them. Studies done on animals suggest that eating walnuts can protect the sperm by reducing oxidative damage on their membranes. It is a given that extensive studies are required to confirm the nut’s role in improving male reproductive health. However, if you are someone who is concerned, you can always include a couple of walnuts in your daily diet.

Some Ways to have Walnuts (Akhrot)

Apart from the traditional way of enjoying the healthy snack one by one, there are some other ways to consume it as well:

• The crushed form can be used to coat fish or chicken.
• Can be roasted and added to your homemade trail mix.
• You can sprinkle some on salads.
• You can lightly roast them in your favourite stir-fry dish.
• You can finely dice them and add in some dips and sauces.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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