
Episode 20 – Nuts and fitness
June 2022. About this episode: Nutrition is a crucial foundation for performance. It underpins everything from preparation via fuelling and…
Like all tree nuts, walnuts are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals beneficial to health. Regularly eating nuts has been shown to contribute to heart health, reduce overall mortality and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, assist with weight management, reduce the risk of cancer, improve sperm quality, reduce depression and overall promote good health.
A 30g serve is around 10 whole walnuts.
Nutrient | Per 100g | Per 30g | |
---|---|---|---|
energy | |||
Energy (kJ) | 2904 | 871 | |
macronutrients | |||
Protein (g) | 14.4 | 4.32 | |
Total fat (g) | 69.2 | 20.8 | |
Saturated fat (g) | 4.4 | 1.32 | |
Monounsaturated fat (g) | 12.1 | 3.63 | |
Polyunsaturated fat (g) | 49.6 | 14.9 | |
Omega 3 ALA | 6280 | 1884 | |
Carbohydrate (g) | 3 | 0.9 | |
Sugars (g) | 2.7 | 0.81 | |
Dietary fibre (g) | 6.4 | 1.92 | |
minerals | |||
Calcium (mg) | 89 | 26.7 | |
Copper (mg) | 1.4 | 0.42 | |
Iron (mg) | 2.5 | 0.75 | |
Magnesium (mg) | 150 | 45 | |
Manganese (mg) | 3.2 | 0.96 | |
Potassium (mg) | 440 | 132 | |
Selenium (ug) | 2 | 0.6 | |
Sodium (mg) | 3 | 0.9 | |
Zinc (mg) | 2.5 | 0.75 | |
vitamins | |||
Thiamin (mg) | 0.3 | 0.09 | |
Riboflavin (mg) | 0.2 | 0.06 | |
Niacin (mg eq) | 5 | 1.5 | |
Folate DFE (ug) | 70 | 21 | |
Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.4 | 0.12 | |
Vitamin E (mg) | 2.6 | 0.78 | |
other | |||
Arginine (g) | 2.3 | 0.7 | |
Sterols (mg) | 110 | 33 | |
Polyphenols (mg) | 1556 | 467 |
In addition to the health benefits that all tree nuts provide, walnuts nuts have been associated with:
In a US-based randomised controlled trial, with crossover design, published in 2022, 90 participants received a control diet or a walnut-supplemented diet (where walnuts made up around 12% of daily energy intake) for a 6-month period, then switched (8). Diets in the walnut period had significantly higher plant protein, total fat, total PUFA, linoleic acid, alpha-linoleic acid, and dietary fibre. Most mineral levels were also higher, particularly calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. The study also found walnuts partially displaced non-alcoholic beverages, desserts, candy, sugar and sweets in the diet.
Walnuts are grown more widely (geographically) across Australia than some other tree nuts, and particularly thrive in cool-temperate and semi-arid regions. Major production areas are largely in south-east Australia in:
Small-scale orchards are scattered in the Ovens Valley, Gippsland and Central region of Victoria; Southern Highlands and Central Tablelands (New South Wales); the Adelaide Hills and Riverland regions (South Australia); and in the south west (Western Australia).
In 2021, Australia produced more than 6,350 tonnes of walnut kernel (around 12,700 tonnes in shell), from more than 1.2 million walnut trees. The walnut industry is very young in Australia, with 90% of our walnut trees planted within the last 15 years.
A native of the northern hemisphere, major supplies to Australia come from California, USA and China, but they are also grown in Chile and Eastern Europe.
Remove nuts from plastic bags and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Nuts can be refrigerated for up to four months and frozen for up to six months.
Remember, bringing nuts back to room temperature before eating can help them taste nuttier.
Published July 17, 2019
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