Benefits of walnuts

The Greeks used to call walnuts, “the nut of Jupiter,” and considered them suitable for their gods. Since ancient times walnuts are associated with intellectuality, and the fruit itself resembles with the shape of the human brain.

All dry fruits are beneficial for health but walnuts contain twice the amount of antioxidants compared to the other nuts.

Though most of the walnuts are now grown in California with trees stretching over an area of 122,000 acres, this dry fruit originated from Persia. It takes 15 years for the tree to grow until it starts producing fruit. On average walnut tree gives fruit for 45 years. Walnuts belong to the tree nut family, almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, pecan and Brazil nuts also belong to this family. There are almost 30 varieties of walnuts out of which three most commonly known are Persian or English walnut, Black walnut and butternut walnut.

Walnut is blessed with powerful nutrients such as iron, manganese, copper, potassium, vitamin B, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine, vitamin B-6, vitamin E, folate and omega-3 fatty acids. Here are some health benefits these nutrients can give:

Best source of Antioxidants
You can find plenty of phyto-chemicals in walnuts such as ellagic acid, melatonin, vitamin E, poly-phenolic compounds and carotenoids, all these components serve as antioxidants. These compounds can help your body combat against aging, cancer, neurological diseases and inflammation.

Prevents Breast Cancer
28 walnut halves or 14 whole walnuts can provide enough phytosterols and antioxidants that can help you combat breast cancer. This study has been conducted at the Marshall University School of Medicine, West Virginia.

Prevents Diabetes
The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in walnuts are beneficial for maintaining insulin levels. A research conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health, proved that 30% women who ate 30 g of walnuts 5 times a week were at a lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Excellent for Heart Health
The FDA, Food and Drug Administration has recently declared that 1.5 ounce of walnuts per day may help reduce the risk of heart attack. Walnuts contain plentiful amounts of ALA or alpha-linolenic acid, which is very beneficial for sustaining heart health. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating walnuts can help reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

Help reduce stress
Omega-3 fatty acids are also beneficial for reducing depression, ADHA and Alzheimer’s disease. Walnuts and walnut oil both contribute to lower the stress levels and also the decreases blood pressure resulting from stress. This has been published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Boosts Brain functioning
The high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts makes them excellent food for your brain. Almost 2/3rd Americans are omega-3 fatty acid deficient. Lack of omega-3 fats can deprive the brain of high level functioning. A study conducted by Purdue University revealed that children who had a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids had behavioral problems and learning disorders.

Good for Insomnia patients
People who cannot get good sleep should avoid taking help of sleeping pills, as most of them have side effects. Here is something to try, take 5 walnuts after dinner as it can give you a peaceful sleep.

Benefits for skin
The walnut’s oil protects the skin from dryness and returns its natural moisture. It is also used as base oil in many cosmetics and massage oils used for aromatherapy and massage therapy. The vitamin E found in walnuts is also very beneficial for the skin.

Acts as an Anti-inflammatory
The omega-3 fatty acids also act as an anti-inflammatory which results in lower risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, blood pressure and colon, prostrate and breast cancer. 25 grams of these nuts provide you with 90% of omega-3 fatty acid essential for your daily requirement.

How to use and store walnuts?
If you are planning to lose weight then you should consume large quantities of walnuts as they are high in calories. 1/4th cup (25g) of walnuts give you 163 calories. You can incorporate them into your daily meals but do not use them for snacking.

The oil contained by walnuts has the tendency to absorb other strong odors, so it is suggested to store them in a cool dry place in an airtight jar. If you do not store them properly they will become rancid. You can either refrigerate unshelled walnuts for 2 to 3 months or keep them in a freezer for 1 year.

Memory boosting foods

Can’t remember where took your cell phone or wallet or key  ? What was the title of that book?  What time was that meeting, again? Time can take its toll on the human brain. With a fast moving lifestyle, how can one help stop grandfather time? Many pharmaceutical companies spend millions in trying to come up with a way to enhance the human brain, but sometimes the solution can be as close as your local market. While some vitamins offer some support in memory enhancement, why not choose the natural route? You might be asking yourself, how can I improve my memory? Sure, you could probably pay for a website geared toward sharpening that important tool. Why do that when you can just eat a snack? Does this sound too good? It’s not. Scientists have completed countless hours of research on proper diets, and perhaps the key to longevity does not come in the form of a pill. What if the answer to memory enhancement is so simple, you might already be doing it without even knowing it?

Every day, people around the world grapple with the inevitable brain fart or the ever-so-annoying ‘drawing a blank.’ They always seem to come at the most inopportune time. Over time, our bodies gradually decline in ability. Unfortunately, so does the mind. Research has been conducted that revealed certain fruits may possess the ability to wind back the clock in the process of brain aging. Can’t remember what they are? While the research may be new, the knowledge of the benefits of fruit has been passed down for many generations. While, not all fruit may have this unique ability to increase memory, 

here are some common foods that can help you unlock the door to a better memory, and a better you!

Cherries
what goes best on top of a nice, thick milkshake? Of course, the cherry. What you may know is that these treats contain anthocyanin. Next time you order that cocktail, do NOT forget the cherry. These tasty fruits can be used in many different recipes, or just eaten from the stem. While there are different types of cherries, they all may be beneficial.

Blueberries
These are more than just ingredients in your grandmother’s muffins. Packed with anthocyanin, a wonderful phytochemical with memory boosting abilities, blueberries may possess the key to remember where you put your keys! Able to be eaten by just themselves, or in a recipe of your choice, blueberries are a very easy way to get started down the path to a better memory!

Apples

Johnny Appleseed had the solution all along. Apples are wonderful in taste, and they can help beat Alzheimer’s disease? Needing an antioxidant fix? Apples can not only help roll back the effect of aging, with good levels of quercetin, they can also stop advancement in Alzheimer’s disease. While some might think, just drink apple juice, the real value might be missed this way. The location of the highest concentration of antioxidants in apples is usually in the skin, so do be sure to eat the skin! These fruits are easily accessible year round, are low in cost, and high in value!

Grapes

We all love grapes. These bad boys can help the aging mind with a combination of quercetin and anthocyanin. All varieties of grapes can be beneficial and tasty. Now, you may be wondering if the product of grapes can have the same value, perhaps some wine?  The answer is yes, wine can be beneficial in increasing your memory, just be sure to not overdo it.

Nuts

Nuts are a great source of vitamin E. A good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly. So everyday take sum nuts that can help to boost your family.

Broccoli

A great source of vitamin K , which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower.

Pumpkin seeds

Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day are all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.

Tomatoes

There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.

Oily fish

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be made by the body and must be obtained through diet. The most effective omega-3 fats occur naturally in oily fish as EPA and DHA. Good sources include linseed (flaxseed) oil, soya bean oil, pumpkin seeds, walnut oil and soya beans. They are good for healthy brain function, the heart, joints and general wellbeing. Oily fish contains EPA and DHA in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.

These foods offer simple approaches to help the ailing memory that are not only cost effective, they taste great! Perhaps you noticed a common link in these fruits. That deep color of anthocyanin is an easy solution of picking the correct fruits. The benefits of such fruit can help you cope with the occasional forgetfulness, but you do have to remember to buy them next time you are shopping for groceries. Of course there are other benefits to these foods that go beyond memory enhancement.  Perhaps down the line, drug companies may find a pill to do the trick. Mother Nature has already put the power in your hands. Unlocking your brain’s potential is as simple as eating one of these tasty snacks.

These foods may help you unlock the power of your memory and say goodbye to foggy brain.