March 28, 2024

Study: Walnuts Support Lifelong, Heart-Healthy Eating – Verywell Health

Key Takeaways

A new study found that regularly eating walnuts was associated with better cardiovascular and overall health later in life.Walnuts are an excellent source of key nutrients like plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, manganese, magnesium, and copper.The findings reinforce that walnuts can be an easy and accessible food choice for young and middle-aged adults working toward…….

Key Takeaways

  • A new study found that regularly eating walnuts was associated with better cardiovascular and overall health later in life.
  • Walnuts are an excellent source of key nutrients like plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, manganese, magnesium, and copper.
  • The findings reinforce that walnuts can be an easy and accessible food choice for young and middle-aged adults working toward a heart-healthy diet.

A new study suggests that a heart-healthy diet can start with eating a handful of walnuts and that the nuts may reinforce healthy habits throughout life.

Research has already shown that walnuts have heart-health benefits, including helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, few studies have looked at whether there are long-term links between eating walnuts or other nuts—or eating no nuts at all—and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

To explore the possible long-term health benefits, researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health looked for links between nut consumption and CVD risk factors to see if walnuts would come out on top.

Cracking the Case on Nuts and Health

For the new study, which was published in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease, the researchers looked at data from about 3,000 young adults aged 18 to 30 years old who were enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

The participants were mostly Black and White and included a balance of men and women. They came from several locations across the United States—from Birmingham, Alabama to Oakland, California.

The participants’ self-reported diet histories were taken by the researchers three times throughout the study: at the start (baseline), at year seven, and at year 20. Each participant’s physical and clinical measurements were also taken at multiple exams throughout the 30 years.

The participants’ diet histories helped researchers put them into categories based on their nut consumption:

  • 352 walnut consumers
  • 2,494 other nut consumers
  • 177 no nut consumers

The average intake of walnuts during …….

Source: https://www.verywellhealth.com/walnuts-longevity-study-6743944