Eating walnuts as part of a healthy diet may decrease your risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death globally.
Walnuts help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and decrease blood pressure, two of the major risk factors for heart disease.1,2 They are also a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. Walnuts contain 2.5 grams of ALA per ounce.
Research has found that omega-3 fatty acids may decrease the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) in those with high cholesterol.3
Inflammation plays a major role in the development of atherosclerosis.4 Finally, when eaten as part of a Mediterranean dietary pattern (a diet rich in fish, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil and nuts, legumes and beans) walnuts may lower risk of both heart disease and stroke. A recent study shows that, among persons at high cardiovascular risk, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts, including walnuts, reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular events.5
