A recent study suggests that women who eat six walnuts every week can preserve their mobility in the golden years. Researchers found that women who consumed walnuts on a regular basis were more active later in life than women who stayed away from the nutritious food.
Study authors based their conclusions on the data on 50,000 nurses who were monitored for three decades during a national survey. According to the findings, nurses who ate walnuts once or twice every week were less likely to need elderly care.
Study participants provided data on their dietary habits and their ability to perform daily chores and tasks such as transporting groceries. Yet, the researchers acknowledged that the findings may not apply to men as well.
Plus, scientists found only a significant link between weekly intake of walnuts and higher mobility in old age, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
Dr. Francine Grodstein of the Harvard Medical School and co-author of the study believes that the recent findings underscore the importance of a healthy diet in women’s lives as they age. Dr. Grodstein called for more research to better understand how diet and lifestyle choices can help women stay fit and healthy later on.
Walnuts are so beneficial due to their content rich in antioxidants. About six walnuts contain twice as much beneficial antioxidants as any other types of nut. Furthermore, walnuts contain plenty of protective unsaturated fats.
As a result, walnuts prevent weight gain, maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, stave off cancer and cellular damage associated with the aging process. The nuts’ antioxidants also keep the body young for longer and prevent premature aging.
Also, the Omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts are crucial for a healthy body at any age. Experts have long given walnuts the status of a superfood that should not miss from anyone’s diet especially children.
Other superfoods that can delay the aging process are blueberries due to their high amounts of antioxidants which prevent cellular damage. Blueberries can also fend off or keep in check diabetes and boost memory in the elderly.
Leafy greens such as spinach and kale shield the skin against photo damage and prevent premature wrinkles from emerging. Another superfood for a wrinkle-free face is the cucumber for its high content in silica which boosts collagen levels.
The study was published recently in the Journal of Nutrition.
Image Source: Pixabay
