Eat more walnuts and age better, says a new study that was published in the Journal of Nutrition. The study advises that by consuming between one and two servings of walnuts per week, approximately ¼ cup per serving, older Americans may be able to reduce the risk of developing physical impairments later on in life, giving them a higher quality of life and more independence.
The study was certain to point out that a well-balanced diet is still the key to living a healthy life at all stages. This includes limiting sugary beverages and foods, consuming low-fat foods and foods that have healthy fats, and moderating the intake of alcoholic beverages. The best relationship between independence and food at a later stage in life, according to the study, was the weekly consumption of fruits such as apples, oranges and pears, and romaine or leaf lettuce, as well as walnuts.
To conduct the study, the researching team examined data from 54,762 women over 30 years. It compared dietary habits to physical impairment in older Americans to deduce the final results. It found that by using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index to contrast the ratio of good foods versus bad foods and physical ability later in life that these foods were the most beneficial in helping to assure physical motility.
Unlike many other nuts, walnuts contain 13 grams of polyunsaturated fat per ounce when ingested, and also contain omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid. These unique traits are what researchers think help contribute to a healthier lifestyle when included as part of a weekly diet.
It's noteworthy to state that this study was focused on women, and they were only asked to report their dietary intake via questionnaires. So the margin of error could be higher than that of a conventional study, especially when taking into account that no men were included in the study.
It's been long known that walnuts are good for you. They make for a delicious snack and may be able to help you preserve physical function later in life. At least you have a candid reason to go nuts over walnuts now.