Walnuts and the Brain Part 2

Hopefully you’ve already seen our previous posts introducing the Doctrine of Signatures, and Part 1 about Walnuts and the Brain!! (If not, go ahead and check them out, we’ll keep this post right here until you get back. We think you’ll like them! And like any sequel, it’s always better if you’ve seen the first one.…) 😎

We already discussed the Omega-3 fatty acid content of walnuts. Let’s take a look at other incredible nutrients that walnuts provide as an optimal brain food!

Vitamin B-6 plays a crucial role in supplying oxygen to the brain. B-6 helps the body use and store energy and form hemoglobin, the protein responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to cells in the body. A serving of walnuts will provide you with a hearty dose of vitamin B-6 to get your oxygen flowing!

Antioxidants are key for preventing oxidative stress in the body. The brain is most vulnerable to oxidative stress as it consumes 20% of our body’s oxygen. Vascular dementia is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, leading to dead nerve cells. It’s vital for our brain health to consume a diet high in antioxidant-rich foods like walnuts! Their antioxidant content is superior to most other foods! A study of antioxidant content in 1,113 different foods ranked walnuts as second!! 💯

What makes walnuts especially beneficial is their ability to break down protein-based plaque in the brain called amyloid beta, which induces inflammation and free radicals, builds up inside the brain, and disrupts how nerve cells work and communicate with each other, causing them to eventually die. Studies show that walnuts not only provide antioxidants, but also specifically protect against oxidative stress, reducing oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, and cell death induced by Aβ. In short, a long-term diet of walnuts may help keep your brain healthy and reduce your risk of developing brain related diseases! 🧠

Looking at the literature, numerous studies have concluded that walnuts improved memory, learning skills, motor development, and anxiety-related behavior in comparison to a walnut-free diet! Furthermore, a review of nine years of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey concluded that walnut consumers showed lower depression scores compared to non-nut consumers! We love this food, and consider it as a staple brain food in the diet! 🙌

Stay tuned for future installments about other herbs that exemplify the Doctrine of Signatures!! 🌿