Snacking has been on the rise in recent years, with the vast majority of Americans snacking at least daily, if not multiple times a day. And while the food we eat is connected to a range of health benefits, brain health and mental well-being are top of mind (pun intended) for many of us right now.
A growing field of research is looking at walnuts and cognitive function, including areas like healthy aging as well as mood, concentration and more. You can explore the research related to walnuts and cognitive health, or begin your quest to smarter snacking with the tips below.
1. For a smart start to your day, add walnuts. Especially if you’re not starving in the morning or sometimes skip the first meal of the day, a quick morning snack like a smoothie or granola bar can help set you up for success.
2. Satisfy sweet or savory cravings with versatile walnuts. Cravings might tempt us to reach for less nutritious options, but luckily walnuts can be used in easy sweet or savory snacks to satisfy any temptation! Try savory seasoned walnuts or easy no-bake energy bites for a sweet treat.
3. Have a handful of walnuts as an evening snack. In addition to walnuts’ excellent source of plant-based omega-3 ALA (2.5 g/oz), they also contain melatonin (3.5 +/- 1.0 ng/g), known for helping people wind down and regulate sleep cycles. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Hungry for more? Try some delicious food for thought with a recipe from our Simple Snacking Collection.
