Walnut Benefits: 5 Reasons to Add Them in Your Desserts
What walnut benefits can we find in walnut desserts? It’s a nut that is so beneficial that it can reduce the risk of cancer as well as help manage stress. Let’s explore the benefits and 5 reasons to include them in your desserts.
1. Taste:
Sharp skins and rich interior make for a multidimensional flavour that is earthy, buttery, and tart. It’s no wonder their tannins are used to balance out the sweetness in desserts that include banana, caramel, and maple syrup. The astringent effect of the walnut is also great at offsetting ingredients with higher fat content. Think walnut desserts with ricotta cheese and milk chocolate.
2. Heart health:
Heart disease is still the leading cause of death across the globe. A lot has gone into research, which shows the positive impact of walnuts on cardiovascular health by lowering LDL cholesterol by 9-16%. Also diastolic blood pressure by 2-3 mmHg. Additionally, they are the only nut that contains the plant-based essential omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which reduces inflammation. It’s a nut that is so beneficial that it can reduce the risk of cancer as well as help manage stress.
3. Gut health:
Walnuts are one of the foods which contribute to the healthy gut microbiome. They reduce secondary bile acids, and they increase good probiotic and butyric-acid producing bacteria, which is necessary for colon health.
4. Aging:
Eating walnuts can improve cognitive function, measured in tests for memory, concentration, and information processing speed. Research also suggests a link between it’s consumption beneficial effect on reducing the risk and also delaying the onset of the development of Alzheimer’s disease. These nuts are also associated with lowering the symptoms of depression and, interestingly, improve mood in men – no data supported any change in women for this study.
5. Mediterranean diet:
You’ve no doubt heard of the PREDIMED study, which promotes the Mediterranean diet strongly linked with reducing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Well, of the mixed-tree nuts used in the study, 25% were hazelnuts and 25% were almonds. But an impressive 50% were walnuts! Another of the great walnut benefits.
What are some desserts that include our healthy little nut? Chocolate chip and walnut cookies, raspberry tart, nut fudge brownies, banana cake, caramel nut bars, carrot cake, even baklava! These are just some of the delicious walnut desserts available. With added walnut benefits. How lucky are we? Happy National Walnut Day, everyone!
