Walnuts are a good source of several nutrients, including multiple fat-soluble vitamins. Since fat-soluble vitamins are not flushed out of your system as easily as water-soluble vitamins, excess intake can pile up in your body, leading to health problems in some cases. Use caution so as not to drastically exceed your daily recommended intake of these vitamins.
Vitamin A
One cup of chopped English walnuts contains about 23 IU of vitamin A. Your body needs vitamin A, a type of antioxidant, to help fight free radicals -- rogue molecules that can increase your risk of some cancers and other harmful health conditions. Vitamin A also contributes to healthy eyesight, bones and cells. Males need about 3,000 IU of vitamin A per day after age 14, while women the same age need about 2,310 IU per day, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Vitamin E
A cup of chopped English walnuts contains about 0.82 mg of vitamin E. Vitamin E is also a type of antioxidant that can help fight free radicals, and it contributes to the creation of red blood cells. Most individuals 14 years old or older need about 15 mg of vitamin A per day.
Vitamin K
A cup of chopped English walnuts contains 3.2 mcg of vitamin K. Vitamin K contributes to keeping your bones healthy, as well as to clotting your blood when necessary -- when you cut yourself, for example. Without vitamin K, minor scratches could continue bleeding indefinitely, becoming dangerous. Men older than 18 need about 120 mcg of vitamin K per day; women older than 18 need about 90 mcg of vitamin K per day.
General Nutrition Information
Each cup of chopped walnuts contains about 765 calories, with just over 76 g of total fat. It contains about 7.2 g of saturated fat and virtually no cholesterol. The walnuts contain 2 mg of sodium, nearly 18 g of protein, about 16 g of carbohydrates, just under 8 g of dietary fiber and about 3 g of total sugars.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Walnuts
- MedlinePlus: Nuts, Walnuts, English - 1 Cup, Chopped
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin E
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin E
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin A
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin K
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