Nuts Benefit Metabolism, Mood & Cognitive Function

Nuts eaten in moderation, especially walnuts, may reduce inflammation while boosting mood and cognitive function. The latest findings on this subject help confirm the New England Journal of Medicine article this past June that founds nuts in the diet over a number of years was associated with weight loss (even better than fruits and veggies). These type of findings show that fat grams, in and of themselves, are no way to formulate a diet or predict which foods are actually healthy.

In one recent study Spanish researchers used advanced genomic testing to determine changes in patients with metabolic syndrome following one month of consumption of 1 ounce of raw walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts. The nut diet, compared to controls, had increased levels of serotonin which will help a person feel better and potentially more satisfied on an eating plan. Additionally, the polyphenols in the nuts demonstrated an ability to reduce inflammatory markers in this at-risk patient population.

In a second study with college students, 2 ounces of finely ground roasted walnuts (in banana bread) were consumed daily over an 8 week period, compared to an 8 week period of banana bread only. Testing show that inferential reasoning significantly improved at the end of the 8 weeks of walnut consumption. “Students consuming walnuts showed a significant improvement in inference after consuming one-half cup of walnuts daily for eight weeks,” says lead author Peter Pribis. “Walnuts will obviously not make you a critical thinker; this comes after years of studying. However, students and young professionals in fields that involve a great deal of critical thinking or decision-making could benefit from regularly eating walnuts.”

Nuts as a great source of nutrition, including fat and polyphenols, are a beneficial food that should be part of any person’s balanced diet.