WALNUTS – Brain food

We have seen the health benefits and usages of nuts like Almonds, Pistachios, and Cashews in our previous posts. Here is another important nut called walnut. This also have number of health benefits like other nuts.

Walnut shell inside Green husk
Photo by: Böhringer Friedrich 

Walnut is an edible seed of walnut tree. Romans introduced walnuts to many European countries. Walnut seeds have number of health benefits ranging from weight loss to prevention of various cancers.

Walnuts are high in protein, vitamins, OMEGA-3 fatty acids, lecithin and oils compared with other nuts. This is only nut with a significant amount of alpha linoleic acid. Moreover have insignificant amounts of sodium and with cholesterol free.

 

Walnut – on the outside and insidePhoto by: AndonicO.

Presence of antioxidants and anti- inflammatory properties in the walnuts help to maintain cardiovascular system thereby preventing heart problems.

Very important to note in these nuts is the content of OMEGA-3. Omega-3 and omega-6 are very much essential fatty acids required for our body for cell growth, immune function, blood clotting, and disease prevention. Our body cannot make them on its own. These fatty acids have to be obtained from diet. Walnuts serve this purpose.

Walnut is good for hair’s health, because of its content of vitamin 7. It will reduce hair fall and improve hair growth. Studies reveal that regular consumption of walnuts may help to prevent type II diabetes.

Walnuts have very good antioxidant content and will fight against cancers. Walnuts help to prevent breast cancer, prostate cancer. It may prevent and even slow the progress of prostate cancer. This is one of the home remedies to try and prevent prostate cancer.

Chocolate walnut cake
Photo by: PlayMistyForMe

Walnuts are packed with many groups of vitamin B complex like riboflavin, niacin, thamin, vitamin B6 and folates. And also contain minerals like manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc and selenium.

The presence of more vitamin E in this nut is beneficial as this vitamin helps to maintain the integrity of cell membrane and mucus membranes and also protect the skin from harmful oxygen free radicals.

Precaution: Some studies reveal that despite of many health benefits of this walnut, one must be careful on the amount and the frequency of consumption of walnuts because of it is high in oxalates. High oxalates may contribute to kidney stone formation. Any allergic reaction noticed while consuming this nuts, immediately stop taking this nuts.

Walnuts are a delicious way to add extra nutrition, flavour and crunch to a meal and are sometimes referred as “Brain food”. Better take twice in a week that too with other nuts

Do not forget walnut is one of the best home remedies to slow the growth of prostate cancer.

Cashew nuts – Tasty seeds that form an Healthy Snack

We have seen the health benefits and the usage of Almonds and Pistachios nuts. In this post we will discuss about cashew nuts.

Colorful Cashew fruits in a tree, in Kannur, Kerala, India
Photo by: Vinayaraj

This kidney shaped seeds stick to the bottom of the cashew apple. In India it is called KAAJU. 

Cashew Nuts are a native of Brazil’s Amazon forest. Today it is cultivated in many parts of the world – Mainly Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Philippines etc.

Mostly cashew nuts are used in preparing cakes, sweets, biscuits etc. Roasted nuts are very popular among us. 

Cashews are nutritiously dense with variety of essential fats and proteins, vitamins and minerals which can bring a number of health benefits to our body.

Many people avoid eating of cashews because of its fat content. In fact cashews contain fat less than other nuts. And also contain only unsaturated fat. This fat can help lower cholesterol and improve heart health.

The proanthocyanidins a class of flavonols, contained in this nut help to fight against tumour cells by stopping them to divide further. Cashews contain less fat, cholesterol free and the antioxidants present in these nuts keep away heart diseases. With sources of magnesium cashew helps lower blood pressure. 

Cashew helps to keep up healthy bones because of calcium and magnesium contents. And help to keep healthy teeth and strong gum.

Women preparing Cashew for packaging,
Africa

All nuts including cashews have been associated with a reduced risk of gallstone disease. Recent study shows cashews like other nuts work with a person’s lipid profile to have a beneficial effect on diabetes.

This nut can reduce triglyceride levels in diabetes protecting them from further complications. Consumption of cashews especially raw cashew in our diets may lower the risk of type II diabetes.

Fried Cashew Nuts
Photo by: Midori

Cashews can be eaten as a snack with other nuts as raw, salted or roasted. These nuts are widely used in confectionery as addition to biscuits, cakes, sweets etc.

Precaution: it is advised to consume only limited quantity of cashews. And also better to take along with other nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios or along with other dishes. Do not eat too many at a time. 

For some people cashew nuts may cause allergy. Individual with known allergic reactions to these cashew nuts may observe caution while eating especially raw. Cashew allergy is a common condition in some individual.

Hope I have given few benefits and usages of cashews. If any of you know more please free to mention here so that others may know more about this nut.

Pistachios – Healthy nuts that help in Diabetes and reducing Heart diseases

Dear friends, I had a minor surgery last week and hence could not post for a couple of weeks. I am back home now and recuperating. Will continue the posts as before.

In the previous post we discussed about Almonds. Now will see the health benefits of PISTACHIOS. Okay?

Pista flowers and nuts
Photo by: Paolo Galli

This is another nutrient nut which is commonly called as PISTA. Pistachios are one of the healthier nuts. They are filled with essential nutrients and have number of health benefits. 

Pistachios are one of the oldest nuts that were commonly used in the world many for more than 8000 years. They are native of Central Asia. 

Today many countries (mainly Iran, United States, Turkey) are cultivating pistachios. A tree of Pista nut takes ten to twelve years to deliver for good seeds and the seed is what we eat as the nut.

Let us see the health benefits of these sweet nuts.

Pistachios help in reducing (LDL) cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol (HDL) thereby preventing heart diseases. Also increases the strength of nerves and making heart stronger.

The contents of vitamin A and vitamin E and anti-inflammatory properties in this nut which help to reduce inflammation in our body.

Vitamin B6 contained in this nut helps in carrying oxygen in the blood. If taken daily, the high quantity of B6 present in this nut can increase the oxygen quantity in the blood and increase the hemoglobin count in it. Another benefit of vitamin B6 present in high concentration in this nut is that it is very beneficial to nervous system and also for a healthy immune system.

These nuts contain fewer calories and more potassium and vitamin K than other nuts. Sodium present in this nut is zero which is different from other nuts. This is good news for the people suffering from hypertension because they have to curb the intake of sodium in their diet.

The Food and Drug Administration of USA (FDA) has approved a health claim regarding nuts lowering the risk of heart diseases (CHD – Coronary heard disease) - "Scientific evidence suggests (not prove) that eating 1.5 ounces (42.5 g) per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease"

Studies involving humans have shown that 32–63 grams (1.1–2.2 oz) per day of pistachio seeds can significantly elevate plasma levels of lutein, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene etc.

Note: The fat profile of Pistachios. Dry roasted pista seeds have Its fat profile is roughly 14% saturated fat, 54% monounsaturated fat and 32% polyunsaturated fat. Keep note of this while calculating your fat intake for the day.

LUTEIN and ZEAXANTHIN are two anti-oxidants present in pistachios. These help to fight against free radicals and destroy them thereby preventing macular degeneration and are also good for the eyes. Pistachios help promoting healthy vision and are highly recommended to those suffering with any vision related issues.

Vitamin E present in these nuts is very essential for our healthy skin. It protects the skin from harmful UV rays and prevents from skin diseases and makes the skin healthy and more beautiful. Similar to skin pistachios have much to offer hair care also. It deeply nourishes and moisturizes hair which helps in improving flexibility of hair.

Vitamin B6 also helps in increasing the blood count. Thus WBC or white blood cells help in preventing infections and various cancers.

Pista toppings in a cake

Finally it helps to control Diabetes. How? The sugars form inappropriate bonds with proteins and make them unusable in a process called glycation. The antioxidants in pistachios help in reducing process of glycation and thus can help in controlling diabetes. It lowers the blood sugar level by slowing down the carbohydrate absorption of the body. Check this link for more information about whether pistachios can help lower blood sugars.

Pistachios are also used in various sweets, Milk shakes, Cake toppings, Ice-creams, Kulfi, Turkish delights etc.

Triflavour kulfi
Photo by: stu_spivack

So friends now you may understand the benefits of taking this sweet nut. 

Take at least twice in a week that too with other nuts or with other dishes during tea time which may help in so many ways for healthy living. 

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Please give your comments and also pass on any more information if you have. It will be useful to all.