WALNUTS

Through a clinical trial, scientists are singing the praises of walnuts for dousing the fire of toxic inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a primary driver of many of our most common and dreaded maladies, from heart disease to cancer to obesity to depression, not to mention pain and fatigue.

Thankfully, it is well-established that what we eat can impact that inflammation for better or for worse. Because nuts in general have noted anti-inflammatory prowess, with walnuts containing the highest concentrations of anti-inflammatory compounds, researchers decided to put walnuts to the test. They had 634 study subjects consume a diet without walnuts or a diet that included a daily dose of walnuts. The group consuming the walnut-enriched diet were given the walnuts in individual daily dose packets to ensure adherence to the study protocol.

The results? After a two-year follow-up period, study subjects assigned to consume 1-2 ounces of walnuts a day had significantly lower levels of 6 out of 10 blood markers for inflammation. Think about that! Simply by enjoying a handful of walnuts a day we can lower levels of damaging inflammation in our bodies.