Poor old walnuts, doomed to spend most of the year neglected, making only the odd cameo appearance in a Waldorf salad. Then Christmas comes, and suddenly they are thrust into the festive essentials limelight. Yet they deserve so much more than a once a year appearance in the fruit bowl, because they are packed with superb - and even surprising - health benefits.
But first, we must break the news to you that walnuts are, in fact, not nuts at all. Nor, come to that, are peanuts, cashew nuts or Brazil nuts - honestly, who named these things, and what were they on? Technically walnuts - along with pistachios and almonds - are a 'drupe'. And a drupe is a fleshy fruit with a thin skin and a central stone which contains the plants seed. Other drupes include peaches and plums, though in those cases we eat the delicious outer fleshy part, not the stone. Oh and then there's that other popular drupe, coffee ... confused yet?
Fortunately whatever their classification in the vegetable and fruit kingdom, walnuts absolutely are a superfood. Not that they are subtle about it. They are particularly rich in polyphenolic compounds, which can counter cognitive decline - so the fact that they also resemble nothing so much as a tiny surgically removed brain rather hammers home that point. However, it’s not just your grey matter that benefits from a regular helping of walnuts.
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New research indicates that women in their 50s and 60s who consume at least two servings of walnuts a week have a ‘greater likelihood’ of healthy ageing compared to non-consumers. In the study of over 30,000 women, "healthy ageing" was defined as 'longevity with no major chronic diseases, good mental health and no impairments in either cognitive or physical function.'
unusual foods that can prevent muscle cramp, Meanwhile in men Best Garmin deals LDL cholesterol and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol by up to a fifth. That handful can also boost your testosterone by as much as 10%, helping to maintain your bone density, muscle mass and sex drive.
What are ultra processed foods study found that walnuts are the ultimate fuel for long-term virility. The Spanish study found that eating 60g of nuts – 30g walnuts, 15g hazelnuts and 15g almonds – increased libido and sexual function in men. Previous studies into this area have also found that nuts can improve sperm quality. This is interesting, as a recent study from Canada found that men who think they are not ‘man enough’ believe eating more red meat will somehow augment their masculinity, when it walnut (sorry, couldn’t resist).
