Health Tips
1. Looking to consume more essential omega-3 fatty acids, without the high mercury content found in fish? Plant food sources of omega-3s, such as walnuts, are an effective option. The Food Nutrition Board of the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine recommends women consume 1.1 grams per day of alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid). Just one ounce of walnuts - a handful - contains 2.5 grams of omega-3s, which more than satisfies the recommended daily value!
2. According to experts, omega-3s are essential for the optimal development and function of every cell in our bodies. While the type of omega-3s found in walnuts, and other plant sources such as flaxseed and dark leafy field greens, are different from the type of omega-3s found in fish, leading researchers say the omega-3s from plants have many similar benefits to those found in fish. Since our bodies cannot produce these vital omega-3s, we have to get them from the foods we eat. Walnuts also contain a host of other nutrients essential to your health, including vitamins, minerals, protein and antioxidants.
3. Including healthy fats in your diet is one of the key messages of the new individualized “MyPyramid Plan” of the USDA. The new symbol and interactive food guidance system incorporate recommendations from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which stress the need for consumers to be more aware of the benefits of polyunsaturated fat in order to achieve a healthy diet. Fish are not the only source of essential fatty acids; nuts and seeds are also rich sources of omega-3.
This recommendation by the USDA reaffirms ones made by other authoritative bodies such as the American Heart Association, the FDA and the National Academies of Science. “It is an important and positive step that the new dietary guidelines recognize the role that healthy fats play in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases. As a beneficial alternative to marine sources, walnuts are one of the best sources of alpha-linolenic acid - the plant form of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for optimum health,” said Ritva Butrum, Ph.D., Senior Science Advisor at the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Walnuts offer the correct balance of essential fats and are one of the most nutrient-dense whole food sources of omega-3 fatty acids. “I am convinced that if people eat the proper diet they will have more reduction in their heart risk than just taking a medication,” says Dr. Anderson Morris, cardiovascular surgeon at HealthSouth Medical Center. “Walnuts are a very good source of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. That’s why I tell my patients that eating walnuts is like wearing a seat belt for your heart.”
4. A new study done in Australia shows that eating a handful of walnuts every day can help patients with type 2 diabetes achieve recommended intakes for polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as omega-3s), critical to protecting the heart. Findings of this study are published in the July 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA), under the title, “Structured Dietary Advice Incorporating Walnuts Achieves Optimal Fat and Energy Balance in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.”
Commenting on this study, Marion J. Franz, MS, RD, LD, CDE, former director of nutrition and health professional education at the International Diabetes Center, says, “It is important and challenging, for people with type 2 diabetes to eat the right types and balance of fats. The fact that achieving nutrition goals became easier by including walnuts is helpful and useful news for persons with diabetes, and the clinicians and diabetes educators who provide nutrition counsel.”
