Walnuts have been found since the time of Hippocrates (considered the father of medicine) a beneficial health food, being used to treat various diseases.
They contain minerals such as iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, vitamins as A, E, B, P and C, more than 20 amino acids, unsaturated fats and proteins. Because of all these nutrients, walnuts have many positive effects for the body.
Here are some diseases whose symptoms can be alleviated with walnuts:
Cardiovascular Diseases
Because the high level of fat content which is 60%, as well as potassium and magnesium, walnuts are recommended for patients suffering from various heart diseases and high blood pressure. Studies have shown that they reduce cholesterol “bad” in blood and strengthen blood vessel walls due to vitamin E.
Thyroid Disease
Walnuts are effective in fighting diseases associated with thyroid gland due to their iodine content.
Improve Mental activity
Many researches have shown that walnuts contain more active substances (the most important being omega-3 fatty acids) that have a positive effect on blood vessels in the brain. So, walnuts highly are recommended for people with intense mental activity. In addition, thanks to the content of iron and cobalt can be used to treat anemia.
Prostate Cancer
A recent U.S. study found that, in mice, tumor growth slows with nut consumption and reduced prostate size, considering that these results could be equally effective in humans. In addition, nuts have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to heal wounds.
Importantly, however, is the fact that they are high in calories. 100 grams of nuts contains about 650 calories. Experts recommend not be consumed more than 3-4 days. A larger quantity may also cause gastrointestinal problems in some people, such as stomach pain or constipation.
Moreover, they stimulate bowel motility, but, before eating lots of nuts for this purpose is better to ask a doctor. Walnuts are not recommended for those who have intestinal problems such as enteritis or colitis.