Power Up Your Meals with California Walnuts

New Delhi, Delhi, India:With the pressures of work, after-school activities and homework, family meals at home may sound like the olden days. Also, making it nourishing and healthy for all may seem like a tedious task. But don’t despair, as here’s your favorite nut that not only makes every meal crunchy and flavorful but also adds the goodness of nutrition into it. Here are some tips at how beneficial these golden treasures can be for your health by Celebrity Nutritionist, Nmami Agarwal.

Walnuts and Health

• Findings from studies suggest that including walnuts as part of a healthy diet may play a role in physical and cognitive health as people age. Walnuts may also play an important role in preventing diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. 
• Individuals with diabetes or metabolic syndrome often have conditions such as high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, and obesity. Together, these disorders increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Walnuts as part of a healthy diet may help manage factors associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.  
• Walnuts are predominantly made up of good fats, which play an important role in the diet. Good fats also help us feel full and ensure healthy communication between nerve impulses and the transfer of nutrients through the bloodstream.

Therefore, incorporating walnuts into meals and snacks is a simple and convenient way to add important nutrients to your daily diet. Here’s a guide to help you do that!

Breakfast

Eating walnuts in the morning keeps you satiated for a longer time and provides essential nutrients that may prevent unhealthy snacking in between meals. One can incorporate them in breakfast by adding them in smoothies, poha, idlis etc or even as a healthy spread in the form of walnut butter. You can also have raw walnuts (28g or a handful) early morning to ward off fatigue the entire day.

Mid-day meal

A missed midday meal not only reinforces bad eating habits, but can also be detrimental to your health. So make sure to stockpile your desk drawers with wholesome, nutrient-dense options. An easy-to-assemble whole grain walnut trail mix is a healthy way to add nutrients into your mid-day snack.  

Lunch 

It’s important to pack ahead for a lunch that’s not only balanced and nutritious, but effortless and easy to prepare. Try packing one with quick lunchtime classics like wraps, puloa and vegetable stew that blend beautifully with walnuts. Walnuts are so versatile that they can also be added to lunch sides such as curd and salads. Apart from elevating the taste, adding walnuts to your meals also help you get your daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids especially for vegetarians.

Dinner

At dinner, walnuts are a nutritious addition to side dishes such as brown rice, sautéed mushrooms etc. You can also enhance the flavor and texture of your main course meals by adding them to curries and pulses. Walnuts can also be added to soups for a light and hearty meal.