Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for good health. Omega-3 is needed for the body to perform some important functions such as muscle contraction, cell division, blood clotting and digestion. There are three major kinds of omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid, called ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid, referred to as DHA. Not all foods contain one of these essential nutrients. Walnuts, however, are packed the omega-3 fatty acid ALA.
Alpah-linolenic Acid Content in Walnuts
Alpha-linolenic acid is the type of omega-3 found in some vegetables like the canola pant and soybeans. According to "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" 1 tbsp. of black walnuts contains 0.156 g of ALA. Walnut oil contains 1.414 g/tbsp. and English walnuts have a whopping 2.574 g of ALA per tablespoon. The Journal's recommended daily consumption of ALA is 1.6 g a day for men and 1.1 g for women. Based on these recommendations, 1 tbsp. of English walnuts would more than meet the recommended daily nutritional needs for both men and women.
Dietary Recommendations
The "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reports the dietary recommendations of linolenic acid are based on "a large body of evidence from controlled clinical trials. The recommendations express "nutritional adequacy" -- the amount needed to prevent the development of diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure which are, in part, related to omega-3 deficits. Alpha-linolenic acid may not be essential to health however. In the body, ALA is broken down into the other omegas -- EPA and DHA. Even small amounts of EPA and DHA alone can reverse an omega-3 deficiency.
Meeting Dietary Recommendations
Walnuts can play an important role in meeting daily dietary recommendations of omega-3. Although supplements are available, Dr. Frank Sacks of the Harvard School of Public health encourages getting omega-3 through diet. Foods like walnuts also contain protein, vitamins and minerals along with omega-3. This allows the body to get even more of what it needs from food sources. Those with nut allergies need to avoid walnuts and instead use other foods rich in omega-3 such as fish, Brussels sprouts and spinach.
Cutting Down On Omega-6
Walnuts offer a quick and delicious way to meet daily omega-3 recommendations. But sprinkling a few on the morning's cereal or the lunch-time salad is only half the battle. Many health problems are related to an excessive amount of omega-6 in the diet, not just a deficit in omega-3. Omega-6, found in most cooking oils such as safflower oil, is also an essential nutrient. But excessive amounts can lead to high cholesterol, heart disease and high blood pressure -- even if the nutritional needs of omega-3 are being met.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Alpha-linolenic acid
- National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Omega-3 Supplements: An Introduction
- Harvard School of Public Medicine: The Nutrition Source, Ask the Expert: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; n--3 Fatty Acid Dietary Recommendations and Food Sources to Achieve Essentiality and Cardiovascular Benefits; Sarah K Gebauer et. al.; June 2006.
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