Nutritional and health benefits of walnuts

Abstract

Walnuts are commonly found in our diet and have been recognized for their nutritious properties over a long period of time. Traditionally, walnuts have been known for their lipid profile which has been linked to a wide array of biological properties and health-promoting effects. In addition to essential fatty acids, walnuts contain a variety of other bioactive compounds such as, vitamin E and polyphenols. Among common foods and beverages, walnuts represent one of the most important sources of polyphenols, hence, their effect over human health grabs attention. Walnuts possess well known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivity and several studies have assessed the potential role of walnuts against disease initiation and progression, including cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases