Eating Walnuts Tied to Lower Risk of Heart Disease, Diabetes

Eating walnuts can help people lower risk of developing heart problems and diabetes, a new study from Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center reported.

Previous research has supported the idea that walnuts can improve health. One study had shown that people who regularly eat walnuts have reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and even cancer than those who don't include walnuts in their diets.

A related study had found that men who follow Western diets can improve their sperm quality by eating walnuts.

The study was based on a small study sample of 46 adults. All the study participants were at high-risk of developing heart problems or diabetes. The participants were divided into two groups; one group was asked to include 56g (about two ounces) of shelled, unroasted English walnuts per day while the other wasn't asked to make any changes in the diet.

Researchers found that walnuts lowered risk of heart problems without increasing weight.

"We know that improving diets tends to be hard, but adding a single food is easy. Our theory is that if a highly nutritious, satiating food like walnuts is added to the diet, there are dual benefits: the benefits of that nutrient rich addition and removal of the less nutritious foods," said Dr. David Katz, Director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center and lead author of the research team.

The study is published in the journal of the American College of Nutrition.