Walnuts are perhaps best-known for being the quintessential healthy brain-food. But who knew that walnuts were also winning top prizes for their heart-healthy, free-radical fighting, antioxidant properties as well?

Antioxidants in Walnuts
Recent scientific evidence shows how the walnut may possibly be the number one food on the planet for heart healthy antioxidant support. And it’s not just that the walnut alone that was studied for its antioxidant quantity.
The study included many varieties of tree and ground nuts, with walnuts ranking top dog over other healthy nuts, like almonds, pecans, peanuts and pistachios. In fact, just a handful of walnuts holds two times more heart-healthy antioxidants than all other commonly-purchased nuts.
Walnuts have a unique free-radical neutralizing antioxidants, as well as higher quality antioxidants than any other nut on the planet. The study analyzed both the amount and quality of antioxidants found in walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias. 

Walnuts hold the largest amounts, and the highest potency’s, of antioxidants, as compared to other nuts. The study also found that the nut has up to 15 times more antioxidant potency than vitamin E, an oil known for its strong antioxidant effects. This suggests that walnuts may play a role in preventing us from getting cancer, as well as other free-radical-based diseases.
What the walnut has that other foods may not:
  1. A unique nutritional benefits and antioxidants
  2. A complete high-quality protein that packs almost as much protein-punch as meat
  3. Tons of vitamins and minerals
  4. A natural dietary fiber in a raw and easy to eat form
Because of these great health benefits, the scientists conducting the study encourage us to include more walnuts in our diet. The best way to eat them is in-the-raw and organic, as we can reap most of the antioxidant benefits this way. In fact, years of research by other scientists suggest that the regular consumption of small amounts of nuts, such as walnuts, can lower our chances of developing heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer, gallstones, as well as other health issues.