Health benefits of walnuts

Go ahead and grab some walnuts the next time you have the munchies. There are a wealth of health benefits of walnuts, here’s why you should pop a bag in your handbag.

Just a handful of walnuts can provide vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre, and trace elements such as magnesium and phosphorus. They are naturally gluten-free. 25g of walnuts per day can provide about 90% of the recommended daily intake of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

Walnut oil has a delicious nutty flavour with a low smoking point and is best used in small amounts for salads and salad dressings. It also makes an excellent carrier oil in aromatherapy and massage. Use it after a bath to soothe dry skin.

If you want to exclude peanuts from your diet, but miss the crunch and flavour of peanut butter, walnut butter can make a great substitute. Soaking and toasting the walnuts can remove the slight bitterness that may be present in the nuts.

Eat these nutrient-packed nuts as they are, sprinkle them over your salads and desserts, or include them in your meals for extra crunch and flavour.