5 Potential Health Benefits of Walnuts

Crack open a walnut, and you’ll get a visual clue about why they’re often referred to as “brain food”: They look a lot like our brains. These popular and delicious nuts have many potential health benefits — not just for your mind but also your heart, blood sugar, and even body weight.

Chelsey Amer, RDN, a registered dietitian in New York City, points out that these nuts are also rich in plant-based antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, and more. “Plus, they’re easy to add to your diet, whether it’s in a salad, crushed on top of a yogurt bowl, or even as a topper for avocado toast,” she says.

• Calories: 185
• Total fat: 18.5 grams (g)
• Saturated fat: 1.74 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.5 g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 13.4 g
• Cholesterol: 0 g
• Sodium: 0.57 milligrams (mg)
• Total carbohydrate: 3.9 g
• Dietary fiber: 1.9 g
• Total sugars: 0.74 g
• Added sugars: 0
• Protein: 4.3 g
• Manganese: 0.97 mg
• Calcium: 27.8 mg
• Magnesium: 44.8 mg
• Potassium: 125 mg

There’s plenty of research to back up health claims about walnuts. But defining a specific “dose” associated with benefits is less clear.

“There’s not enough evidence to recommend any specific dose to prevent a specific disease per se, but based on all the research on overall health effects of nuts, a daily 1 to 2 oz serving of walnuts or other mixed nuts is advisable for good health,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, the director of the Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

Walnuts — like any healthy food — should be part of a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet, says Sharon Palmer, RDN, the author of The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes Now, who is based in Ojai, California. “Including walnuts in a nutritionally balanced diet that includes healthful protein and fat sources, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is key to gaining these health benefits,” she says, adding that it’s also good to let your doctor know before you make major dietary changes.

Support Heart Health

Help Fight Inflammation

May Support Brain Health

Possibly Help Stabilize Blood Sugar

May Help Support a Healthy Weight

If you’re looking to lose or maintain weight, walnuts might be a good addition to your diet, Mozaffarian says. “Eating nuts does not cause weight gain for most people, and in fact may help cut central body fat,” he notes.

It’s easy to make eating these delicious nuts part of your daily routine, both in meals and as standalone snacks, Retelny notes. “Walnuts are an on-the-go, protein- and fiber-filled snack to throw in your purse or workout bag,” she says. Here are some additional tips for eating more of them.

Practical Tips on Consuming Walnuts

There are a few points to keep in mind when incorporating walnuts into your diet, especially regarding proper storage and portion control. “Walnuts are filled with fats, and they can go rancid easily,” says Sharon Palmer, RDN, author of The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes Now, who is based in Ojai, California. She recommends storing them in the fridge or freezer to keep them fresh.

Again, walnuts are high in both calories and nutrients, so try to stick to the one-ounce, five-times-weekly serving suggestion, Palmer suggests. “You don’t need to consume a lot to get the benefits,” she says. Swapping nuts for less-healthy fats can help you eat more without consuming more calories. For instance, you can use crushed walnuts instead of bacon bits on a salad, or snack on them instead of cheese.

Recipes and Ideas

Walnuts make a great standalone snack and have various culinary applications.

“They can be a natural fit with your breakfast each morning,” Palmer says. She suggests adding chopped walnuts to cereal bowls or to smoothies. “You can also add them to salads, grain dishes, and veggie burgers,” she says. Retelny says she adds walnuts to plain yogurt with fruit, sprinkles them onto salads, tosses them into quick breads and muffins, and uses them in holiday stuffing and as a garnish for baked apples.

Palmer also suggests incorporating walnuts into Meatless Mondays. “Try grinding walnuts into a fine texture to use as a meat replacement in sauces, such as a spaghetti sauce,” she says. “They’re a great way to approach more plant-based eating, as they can help take the place of animal proteins.”

• Walnuts are a great source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain, heart, and cell health.
• Research suggests walnuts offer several potential health benefits, including reducing inflammation and supporting heart health, cognitive function, and a healthy weight.
• Keep portion control in mind: A serving is only 1 oz, about 14 walnut halves.
• Store walnuts properly — and consider freezing them for long-term storage — since they can become rancid if left at room temperature.