Walnuts are not just your average nutritious food. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, fiber, and healthy fats. Besides that, walnuts varied benefits to the human body. The most common and most studied walnut variety is the English walnut. In fact, for the last five decades, the nut has caught the attention of scientists and industry experts who have an annual gathering at the University of California, Davis, for a conference addressing and discussing the latest health research on walnuts.
The following are the science-based health benefits of walnut oil:
Hair
Everyone dreams of having beautiful-looking hair, free from any damage, but today’s pollution-laden environment makes it harder to achieve. So here are the benefits walnut oil brings for hair:
Aids in Fighting Hair Loss
Seeing countless strands falling everything you so much as comb your hair can be stressful and frustrating. However, Walnut oil has usually helped fight hair loss through the help of Omega-3 fatty acids, which prevent cell damage.
Skin
Walnut oil is abundant in vitamins and minerals. It does wonders to the skin and is highly suggested for those who want ageless and flawless skin. Below are the benefits of walnut oil to the skin:
Excellent Antioxidant
Walnut oil is an excellent antioxidant that helps combat aging and is very good for the skin.
Cure For Infection
Horrible fungal infections have people feeling helpless. Fortunately, the remedy to thoroughly combats fungal infections comes in the form of walnut oil.
Combat Wrinkles
Walnut oil is excellent for combating wrinkles. The oil has a greasy texture, but regularly applying it can help the wrinkles and fine lines fade with time.
Aids Psoriasis Treatment
Psoriasis is a persistent skin problem that everyone wishes to mend. Using walnut oil can help cure it by either adding it to your bath or applying it topically.
Additional Health Benefits of Walnuts
Source of Omega-3s
Unlike any other nut, walnuts are remarkably higher in omega-3 fat, which provides 2.5 grams per ounce serving. The omega-3 fat from plants such as walnuts is alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, an essential fat you must get from your diet.
As reported by the Institute of Medicine, sufficient ALA intake is 1.1 and 1.6 grams every day for women and men, respectively. Therefore, to meet the guideline, a single serving of walnuts will do.
Observational studies show that your risk of dying from a heart ailment decreases by 10% for every gram of ALA you eat in a day.
Promotes Weight Control
Walnuts are calorie-dense, although studies suggest that the energy ingested from them is 21% lesser than what’s expected from their nutrients. In addition, consuming walnuts may help in controlling your appetite.
A well-controlled study on ten obese people found that drinking a smoothie made with about .75 ounces of walnuts every day for five days decreased hunger and appetite instead of a placebo drink with an equal amount of calories and nutrients.
Moreover, after consuming walnut smoothies for five days, brain scans revealed that the participants had enhanced activation in a brain region that helped them turn down highly tempting food such as french fries and cake.
Promotes Healthy Aging
As you get older, healthy physical functioning is necessary to maintain independence and mobility. One thing that can help maintain these abilities is by practicing healthy eating habits.
An observational study in more than 50,000 older women that spanned for more than18 years found that the healthiest diets had a 13% lesser risk of physical impairment. Among the foods that made the most substantial contribution to their healthy diet are walnuts.
May Lessen Risks of Certain Cancers
According to an animal, test-tube, and human observational research, eating walnuts may decrease your risk of some cancer types, including colorectal, prostate, and breast cancers. This is because walnuts contain polyphenol ellagitannins. Specific gut microbes can convert these to compounds known as urolithins.
Urolithins may have anti-inflammatory properties in the gut, which could be how eating walnuts aid in protecting against colorectal cancer. The anti-inflammatory actions of urolithins can also be a protection against other types of cancers.
Also, urolithins contain hormone-like properties that block the body’s hormone receptors, which can help reduce the risk of hormone-related cancers, particularly prostate and breast cancers.
Supports a Healthy Gut
According to studies, if your gut is loaded with health-promoting bacteria and other microbes, you probably have a healthy gut and excellent overall health.
An unhealthy microbiota composition can result in inflammation and gut disease, which increases the risk of cancer, obesity, and heart disease. What you eat can considerably influence the structure of your microbiota. One way to support your gut and microbiota is by eating walnuts.
A study showed that when 194 healthy adults consumed 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day for eight weeks, the participants had a rise in beneficial bacteria than while not consuming walnuts.