It’s a wonder that more people don’t rely on nuts for their main source of nutrition, given how many health benefits you can enjoy when you eat different types of nuts. Consider walnuts as an example. Walnuts have been used for hundreds of years to treat a huge variety of disorders and health problems, from baldness and headaches to depression.
Now, it has been discovered that walnuts may actually decrease your risk of cancer. In an age where cancer diagnoses seem to be increasing every day and there are very few treatment options, it is exciting to know that something as simple as a handful of walnuts can make a difference.
Health Benefits of Walnuts
As you learn about the health benefits of walnuts, it’s clear that they should be part of any cancer fighting diet. These are just a few of the main nutrients and health benefits that walnuts offer:
- Antioxidants: These chemicals stop the growth of cancerous cells and tumors by destroying free radicals.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to the prevention of breast cancer in other studies. They are an excellent source of fat, since they do not have the saturated fat found in other oils.
- Phytosterols: This compound, which is found naturally in plants, has been found to slow and even stop the development of cancerous tumors.
How Walnuts Fight Cancer
A huge amount of research is dedicated to finding the cause of cancer and finding ways to stop it. This particular study looked at how walnut consumption affected the growth and onset of breast cancer.
When studying mice with cancerous tumors, the lead researcher found that feeding walnuts to the mice every day cause their tumors to shrink and slowed the growth of their cancer.
Researchers are hopeful that this trend will carry through to human women, particularly those who are already diagnosed and undergoing breast cancer treatment. Although they do not yet know how walnuts improve breast cancer and stop it from spreading, there is a clear link between the two factors.
Integrating Walnuts Into Your Diet
Whether you have breast cancer or you are simply trying to prevent it in the future, it’s important to start getting walnuts into your diet now. Luckily, this is very easy to do. Walnuts are very tasty and they make an excellent snack food. Rather than reaching for fries, chips, or a candy bar the next time you have a craving, grab a handful of walnuts instead.
If you have difficulty eating walnuts plane, you can use them in other ways. When chopped up, they make a great salad topping. You can also bake them into cookies or use them as a coating for protein. As long as you are getting your walnuts, it doesn’t really matter how you are getting them.
Eating an anticancer diet is one of the best ways to prevent this devastating disease. Remember that it is all about balance, so focus on eating a diet heavy on vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats like those found in walnuts.
Sources:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635580802065302
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/cancerfightingfoods/a/walnuts.htm
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691509005043
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/19/7-walnuts-benefits.aspx
This Site Was Inspired By An Interest in Protecting the Environment:
We had the privilege and joy of learning from Dr. Charlie Stine who instilled a love for the natural world through incredible field trips with the Johns Hopkins Odyssey Certificate program in Environmental Studies. At the time, the program was endorsed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Sadly, after Dr. Stine retired, the program was phased out. We hope that we honor his legacy by shining a bright light on environmental issues and sharing good news about the success of various conservation programs when possible.