Foreign studies show that increasing the intake of nuts, especially walnuts, can improve the cognitive ability of middle-aged and elderly people. Nut intake is mostly related to the improvement of memory, cognitive flexibility, information processing speed and overall cognitive function.
Another 3-year study showed that eating virgin olive oil +30g nuts (15g walnuts, 7.5g almonds and 7.5g hazelnuts) every day can continuously increase the concentration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in plasma compared with people who only eat virgin olive oil without nuts or eat low-fat diet, and has the effect of resisting depression and cognitive degradation caused by aging. From these aspects, adding some walnuts or walnut oil to the diet can really have a beneficial effect on the body and indirectly promote the healthy state of brain function.
Extended data:
The content of arginine in walnut protein is particularly high, reaching protein 174 mg per gram of walnut, which is the highest among nut foods and six times that of protein in milk and fruit. Arginine is a substance with nutrition and many unique physiological and pharmacological effects. One of its important physiological functions is as a raw material for synthesizing endogenous nitric oxide. As a biological messenger in human body, nitric oxide plays a key role in the physiological and pathological regulation of cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems.
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People's Daily Online-Expert Answer: Can Walnuts Make Up the Brain?