made headlines around the world and was published in the
NewEngland Journal of Medicine. Adding walnuts to your diet can be an important step in improving your cardiovascular health. Walnuts are an important source of monounsaturated fats-approximately 15% of the fat found in walnuts is healthful monounsaturated fat. A host of studies have shown that increasing the dietary intake of monounsaturated-dense walnuts has favorable effects on high cholesterol levels and other cardiovascular risk factors. One particular study compared the effects of a cholesterol-lowering Mediterranean diet with an adjusted Mediterranean diet in which 35% of the calories derived from monounsaturated fats came from walnuts. When following the walnut-rich diet, the 49 study participants were found to have lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL (the dangerous form) cholesterol and Lp(a) ("lipoprotein a," another lipid compound that increases blood clotting and, when elevated, is considered a risk factor for atherosclerosis).
In addition to their heart-protective monounsaturated fats, walnuts' concentration of omega-3 essential fatty acids is also responsible for the favorable effects walnut consumption produces on cardiovascular risk factors. Omega-3s benefit the cardiovascular system by helping to prevent erratic heart rhythms, making blood less likely to clot inside arteries (which is the proximate cause of most heart attacks), and improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to potentially harmful (LDL) cholesterol. Omega-3s also reduce inflammation, which is a key component in the processes that turn cholesterol into artery-clogging plaques.
Since walnuts contain relatively high levels of l-arginine, an essential amino acid, they may also be of special import when it comes to hypertension. In the body (specifically within those hard-working blood vessels), l-arginine is converted into nitric oxide, a chemical that helps keep the inner walls of blood vessels smooth and allows blood vessels to relax. Since individuals with hypertension have a harder time maintaining normal nitric oxide levels, which may also relate to other significant health issues such as diabetes and heart problems, walnuts can serve as a great addition to their diets. A study published in Phytochemistry sheds further light on walnuts' cardioprotective benefits. Earlier research had already suggested that several polyphenolic compounds found in walnuts, specifically ellagic and gallic acid, possessed antioxidant activity sufficient to inhibit free radical damage to LDL cholesterol. In this new study, researchers identified 16 polyphenols, including three new tannins, with antioxidant activity so protective they describe it as "remarkable."
Walnut Serving Ideas:
Mix crushed walnuts into plain
yogurt and top with maple syrup.
Add walnuts to healthy sautéed vegetables.
Walnuts are great in baked goods and breakfast
treats. Some of our favorites include zucchini
walnut bread, carrot walnut muffins and apple walnut
pancakes.
Purée walnuts, cooked lentils and your favorite
herbs and spices in a food processor. Add enough
olive or flax oil so that it achieves a dip-like
consistency.
Sprinkle walnuts onto salads.
Add walnuts to your favorite poultry stuffing
recipe.
To roast walnuts at home, do so gently-in a
160-170°F (about 75°C) oven for 15-20 minutes-to
preserve the healthy oils.
Make homemade walnut granola: Mix together
approximately 1/2 cup of honey, 3 to 4 tablespoons
of blackstrap molasses, a tablespoon of vanilla, a
dash of salt, and a teaspoon each of your favorite
spices, such as cinnamon, ginger and/or nutmeg.
Place 6-8 cups of rolled oats in a large bowl and
toss to coat with the honey-blackstrap mixture. Then
spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 275°F(135°C)
for 45 minutes. Cool and mix in 1/2 to 1 cup of
walnuts.
