Although they are high in calories, the benefits of nuts to improve your health have been widely proven. Full of fiber (which helps lower your cholesterol) and Omega-3 fatty acids (which are important for heart health), there's another new advantage to eating these healthy snacks: Walnuts have also been found to boost memory.
In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, researchers found that eating walnuts in a Mediterranean-style diet was linked to better memory scores and cognitive function.
Basically, this means that the antioxidants present in walnuts may help prevent age-related cognitive decline and reduce the chances of developing neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, which could affect as many as 1.3 million Latinos by 2050.
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The Spanish PREDIMED trial, which was conducted by Dr. Emilio Ros of the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, concluded that:
"The high polyphenol (antioxidant) content found in walnuts may be one of the key elements in helping to preserve cognition and fight age-related cognitive decline. Coffee, virgin olive oil and wine were also associated with better cognitive scores. "
Since so many of us are already caring for our elderly parents (or worried about our own mental health as we age, like I am), it's important to add some walnuts into your diet. I'm already snacking on almonds during the day but now I think I'll opt for walnuts or a mixed nuts. Since walnuts can help keep my mind sharp, it's the least I can do.
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Will you increase your walnut consumption, now that you know it may help prevent memory loss and age-related diseases like Alzheimer's?
Image via elana's pantry/flickr
