However, improved cholesterol levels were also seen in the group avoiding nuts, possibly due to the placebo effect, according to the team.
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Meanwhile, Anita Mirchandani of the New York State Academy of Nutrition has warned that just an ounce of walnuts provides 18 grams of fat, even though these are mostly represented by Omega-3 heart-healthy fatty acids (polyunsaturated).
The health benefits from walnuts can be attributed to them being a rich source of essential fatty acids as well as a good source of important vitamins and minerals such as folate and vitamin E. However like other nuts, walnuts are high in calories and experts have cautioned against eating the snack to excess so as not to increase weight. Others have claimed that walnuts reduce blood pressure, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers.
Dr David Katz, who led the research at Yale University, Connecticut, said: “Among members of the nut family walnuts have been found to be particularly promising in terms of health benefits”. The participants were between the ages of 25 and 75, and they were all considered high-risk for type 2 diabetes. Among these two groups, participants were randomly assigned either the addition of 56g of walnuts per day or complete avoidance of walnuts. After a 3-month break, the intervention arms were reversed. They were assessed for these factors at the start of the trial, and then again after three, six, 12 and 15 months.
That is why before, during, and after the study, the team of researchers carefully measured the patients’ height, weight, BMI, and waist circumference.
Did the walnuts weave their wonder? They also experienced improvements in their bad cholesterol.
Importantly, the study appears to show an improved epithelial functioning in the participants who consumed the walnuts.
These positive effects were found to be independent of whether caloric intake was controlled or not. One group ate two ounces of walnuts per day where as the other group did not eat any walnuts at all. However, when combined with a calorically restricted diet, their waist circumference decreased significantly.
The trial showed that, after having consumed a small dose of walnuts daily over a period of 6 months the participants had significantly lower levels of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol in their blood, as well as a better blood vessel function in general, compared to the participants who had not been given walnuts as part of their daily diets.
It should be noted that the study was funded by the California Walnut Commission, and the researchers say that further studies need to be conducted before any solid conclusions can be drawn.
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It was determined that those who had incorporated walnuts into their daily food intake had improved their blood vessel function, and had also been eating much more healthily, by removing harmful foods from their diets. Research using a wider variety of individuals will be necessary to paint the full picture.
