The Mighty Walnut

A recent research study reported that, relative to its fellow tree nuts, the walnut is the mightiest nut of all. Based on a comparison of antioxidant quantity and potency, walnuts took a landslide victory over almonds, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias and pecans. Walnuts are like the kale of the nut family. Yes, kale is that much better than other vegetables!

So let’s step back a second and take a look at nuts in general. Delivered from nature as a perfectly packaged little food, protected from the elements by a hard shell, all nuts can be considered nutritional powerhouses. As a high quality protein source, they can serve as a replacement for animal protein in a vegan or vegetarian meal. They are packed with minerals such as Manganese, Magnesium, Copper and Selenium, along with B-vitamins, vitamin E and fiber.

However, the nut’s true notoriety, whether positive or negative, usually comes from its supply of fat. This quality makes it one of our more calorie dense foods, causing many people to avoid it. Interestingly, studies have shown a reduced risk for obesity and weight gain in correlation with increased consumption of nuts and seeds. Plus it turns out that this fat, predominantly mono and polyunsaturated, is to thank for all this positive press that walnuts (and other nuts) have been getting lately. You see, the fats in nuts are actually quite delicate, so they come packaged along with antioxidants, which provide protection from environmental stressors like air, heat and light. Of all the nuts, walnuts contain the highest levels of omega-3 fats, which are some of the most delicate fats and thus require the greatest quantity and potency of antioxidants to protect them.

While they are an incredibly healthy food, nuts should be eaten in limited quantities. Stick to a handful a day. Just imagine you had to crack each individual nut out of its hard shell… how many would you eat? That’s how many you should have. When possible, consume nuts raw, not roasted. The heat from roasting may compromise healthy fats while destroying antioxidants and live enzymes. Finally, stick to unsalted nuts. All that salt makes a handful feel like such a tease!

American Chemical Society Report
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/acs-wat030911.php#