Walnut-Rich Diet Helps Overweight Adults Against Diabetes and Heart Problems

A new finding has found added benefits of walnut for overweight adults. Medical researchers say walnuts help in protecting against diabetes as well as heart diseases in overweight adults.

Since ancient times Walnuts are recognized as the most delicious and healthiest of all nuts. They contain antioxidants, which counter the effects of cell damage as well as aging. Earlier studies have focused on the effects of walnut and walnut oil on disease prevalence as well as mortality. This new study establishes that by adding walnuts in the diet, overweight adults can improve their endothelial function.

The latest finding was provided by medical experts from Yale -Griffin Prevention Research Center in Connecticut.

"We know that improving diets tends to be hard, but adding a single food is easy," Dr. David Katz,  lead author, said in a news statement.

The team conducted a study that involved 46 adults of ages 30-75 who had a large Body Mass Index (more than 25) and whose waist circumference exceeded 40 inches (men) and 35 inches (women). Apart from this, the participants were required to be non smokers and had to carry one or more added risk factor for metabolic syndrome - combination of medical disorders that elevate the risk of diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease.

Later the researchers randomly assigned the group of participants to a two week diet that either included walnut enriched ad libitum diet or an ad libitum diet minus walnut. The participants who belonged to the walnut diet had to consume upto 56 gms of unroasted, shelled English walnuts everyday as a snack or with meal.

According to the researchers, adding walnuts in the diet offers dual benefits; it is nutrient rich and  also helps in removing food that contain less nutritious food.

On completing the test, the researchers noticed that there was a vast improvement in the endothelial function of overweight adults with visceral adiposity when they took walnuts daily. Apart from this, daily walnut intake did not lead to unwanted weight gain.

The researchers stated, "The primary outcome measure was the change in flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery. Secondary measures included serum lipid panel, fasting glucose and insulin, Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance values, blood pressure, and anthropometric measures..."

The study "Effects of Walnuts on Endothelial Function in Overweight Adults with Visceral Obesity: A Randomized, Controlled, Crossover Trial," is documented in the journal of American College of Nutrition.