I won’t lie. I prefer other nuts like almonds and pecans over walnuts, but after I learned walnuts have several health benefits that other nuts don’t, I started using walnuts in place of pecans in many baked goods. Walnuts are cheaper, too. I also make a practice of popping a few walnuts into my mouth and putting a handful into my mother’s oatmeal each morning.
As it turns out, medical evidence suggests a daily dose of 1 - 2 ounces (i.e., a handful) of walnuts supports heart health, cuts bad cholesterol, supports gut health, and sharpens brain function, plus they may improve sleep with a natural infusion of melatonin.
Walnuts contain essential omega-3 fatty acids (ALA), magnesium, and antioxidants. They reduce inflammation and lower bad LDL cholesterol. Studies show that people who eat walnuts have faster brain reaction times and delayed age-related cognitive decline. Walnuts act as a prebiotic to improve the gut microbiome by increasing good bacteria. Although walnuts are energy-dense, they don’t tend to cause weight gain because they help to manage our appetites.
Here are tips for eating a healthy dose of walnuts every day:
1) Stick with a serving (1 oz to 2 oz) to control calories. 1 oz = 14 halves. Easy enough, as we don’t tend to gorge on walnuts.
2) Eat them raw, roasted, soaked in water, or added to cereals, salads, smoothies, or yogurt.
3) Walnuts are beneficial at any time of the day, yet studies show they improve cognitive performance if eaten in the morning.
4) I find Diamond of California to be the better-tasting walnuts without any bitterness. Walmart sells this brand at a cheaper cost then its own store brand, also. I always have a 32-oz bag in my refrigerator or freezer (as well as a big bag of lightly salted almonds as snack staples)
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Here’s a once-in-a-while treat (due to the sugar), perhaps for Sundays or holidays like Easter, to bake using walnuts. If you’re ambitious, you could toast the walnuts for added flavor before using. It’s a scaled-down, less sweet Hummingbird cake:
Pinnapple and Walnut Sheet Cake
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup of finely chopped walnuts
Directions:
1) Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
2) Beat in the eggs, then add the vanilla extract and pineapple with juice, and fold in the walnuts. Do not overmix, just enough to incorporate all the ingredients, so the batter doesn’t produce a tough cake.
3) Pour the batter into a well-buttered square baking pan.
4) Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 - 35 minutes.
Cream Cheese and Nut Frosting
Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese (I use low-fat)
2 tablespoons of butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups of powdered sugar or more
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (These I don’t chop as finely as the walnuts in the batter.)
Mix together except the walnuts. Spread the frosting on a cooled cake and top the frosting with the chopped nuts.
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