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Walnuts

author

Laura Tilt

published

26/06/2025
Walnuts

Walnuts: Nutrients & Health Benefits

We love adding walnuts to our meals at Field Doctor, due to their key nutritional benefits, such as their antioxidant and good fat content. Learn more about why we love walnuts so much in our walnut guide.

The king of nuts, walnuts are rich in good fats and antioxidants and eating them has been linked with better heart health, brain function and they may help lower the risk of getting some cancers.

Interesting facts

  • The word ‘walnut’ derives from Old English word ‘wealhhnutu’ which literally means foreign nut. The previous Latin name was ‘nux Gallica’ or ‘Gallic nut’.
  • Walnuts are the oldest food tree known to man, dating back to 7000BC.

Rich in

  • Vitamin E
  • Copper
  • B vitamins (B1, B2, B6)
  • Magnesium
  • Omega-6 fatty acids
  • Antioxidants

Key health benefits

  • King of the nuts. Walnuts are richer than most other nuts in polyunsaturated fats. The most abundant one is an omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid (1).

  • One of the richest sources of antioxidants. The brown skin of walnuts contains a mixture of potent bioactive plant compounds that include ellagic acid, ellagitannins, catechins and melatonin (2).

  • Good for your heart. Studies show that eating walnuts prevents heart disease by lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, improving blood vessel function thus cutting the risk of any build-up in your arteries. Their rich antioxidant content also helps reduce inflammation (3,4).

  • May boost brain function. Being rich in healthy fats and antioxidants walnuts are linked to improved brain function and possibly may also slow down the progression of age related brain function impairments (5).

  • May help prevent certain cancers. Walnuts are rich source of phytosterols, vitamin E, ellagic acid and other various polyphenols and so could be an effective part of a cancer-preventative diet (6).

References 

  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31409014/

By Laura Tilt

Registered Dietitian + Field Doctor Head of Science

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