4 Reasons to Go Walnuts for Heart Health
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN Manager, Lifestyle and Wellness
Can a handful of walnuts make a difference to heart health? Research shows that walnuts have a place in a HeartSmart eating plan. Check out these four tips from the California Walnut Board (where our excellent Market 32 walnuts are sourced.)
- Unique among nuts, walnuts contain the highest amount of the plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) with 2.5 grams per ounce.
- One ounce of walnuts is a powerhouse of important nutrients for optimum health, including 4g of protein, 2g of fiber and a good source of magnesium (45mg).
- Walnuts are a whole food contributing many beneficial nutrients that support overall wellness from head to toe including the heart, brain and gut.
- Walnuts are certified heart-healthy*by the American Heart Association with the Heart-Check mark.
Walnuts are versatile – they can be used in almost any recipe that calls for nuts, and they can be added to almost any recipe to add flavor, crunch and nutrition benefits. They keep best when refrigerated, especially after packaging is opened, a good tip for maximizing shelf life and budgets. They get another layer of flavor when toasted – it deepens the nutty flavor and takes your recipes up a notch! Keep it simple by sprinkling on cereal, tossing a handful in a smoothie, or adding to a cake or quick bread. Find out more about walnuts, check out the history, farming and sustainability, as well as great, tested recipes here!
BOGO Alert! We can help you explore how much more you can do with walnuts – from Sunday, January 31 to Sunday, February 28th, buy 1 bag of Market32 Walnuts, and get $1 off Chobani Greek Yogurt 24 or 48 oz containers. Find the Market 32 Walnuts in the Produce Section. This yummy recipe adds savory Greek Yogurt and walnuts to banana quickbread – Enjoy!
*Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet and not resulting in increased caloric intake, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. (FDA) One ounce of walnuts o_ers 18g of total fat, 2.5g of monounsaturated fat, 13g of polyunsaturated fat including 2.5g of alpha-linolenic acid – the plant-based omega-3.