Eating nuts can benefit your health by increasing your intake of unsaturated fats and several vitamins and minerals. Walnuts are a nutritious choice of nuts and you can toast them to enhance their flavor. Eat your toasted walnuts without added sugar or salt to keep them as healthy as possible. Have a handful plain or add them to oatmeal, cereal, poached pears or a tossed green salad. Any way you eat them, toasted walnuts are a nutritious addition to your diet.
Unsaturated Fat
There are 15.5 g of unsaturated fat in a 1-oz. serving of toasted walnuts. This is a good portion of the 18 g of total fat found in one serving. Unsaturated fat is a healthy fat, while saturated and trans fats are unhealthy. Adding unsaturated fats to your diet may help reduce your risk of heart disease and blood clots. Unsaturated fats are linked to a reduction in cholesterol.
Protein
All nuts, including toasted walnuts, are healthy sources of protein. One serving of toasted walnuts provides 4 g of protein. According to MayoClinic.com, you need 50 g of protein in your diet each day as it helps promote the healthy formation and maintenance of your muscles. Protein is also essential for healthy cell function and gives you energy.
Fiber
Toasted walnuts contain 4 g of fiber per 1-oz. serving, making them a good way to add fiber to your daily menu. MayoClinic.com notes that you need 25 g of fiber in your daily diet because it helps keep your digestive system healthy so your body is able to take advantages of the nutrients you consume in your diet. A diet rich in fiber may help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol. Fiber may also help you lose weight by keeping you full so you eat less.
Vitamins and Minerals
Toasted walnuts contain a wealth of beneficial vitamins and minerals. MayoClinic.com notes that all nuts contain vitamin E, which may help reduce the formation of plaque in your arteries so you are able to decrease your risk of heart disease. Toasted walnuts also contain 10 percent of the daily value for magnesium and phosphorus, as well as 4 percent of the daily value for iron and potassium. A serving of toasted walnuts also contains copper, calcium, selenium and vitamin A.
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