Eat walnuts, keep depression at bay

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the US found that depression scores were 26 per cent lower for walnut consumers and eight per cent lower for consumers of other nuts, compared to those who did not eat nuts at all.

The study, published in the journal Nutrients, found that walnut consumption was more closely associated with higher energy levels and better concentration, compared to other nuts.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every six adults will have depression at some time in their life. It is important to find low-cost interventions, such as dietary changes, that are easy to implement and may help reduce the incidence of depression,” said lead investigator Lenore Arab, from UCLA.

“Walnuts have previously been investigated for their role in cardiovascular and cognitive health, and now we see an association with depression symptoms —providing another reason to include them in a healthy eating plan,” Arab said.

When compared to other nuts, walnuts have a unique fatty acid profile —they contain mostly polyunsaturated fats, including a significant amount of the plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (2.5g/28 grammes),which is more than any other nut, researchers said.—PTI