Scientists Find More Evidence For Adding This Inflammation-Fighting Nut To Your Diet

When you think of a superfood, your mind likely jumps to goji berries or chia seeds—probably not to the humble walnut. But as research continues to show, these oddly shaped tree nuts are serious powerhouses for our health.

In a report published last week in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology2, researchers returned to data from a previous study to see if inflammatory biomarkers were affected by a walnut-enriched diet. The original study, titled Walnuts and Healthy Aging (WAHA), was first published eight years ago.

The new assessment found that incorporating walnuts into meals on a daily basis was linked to a reduction in the concentration of inflammatory biomarkers, which had been considered a "secondary outcome" in the original data. Over the course of a two-year period, the study followed up with a sample group of around 700 people aged between 63 and 79 years regarding cognitive health among other markers of aging.

Though they're not necessarily considered as snackable as almonds or cashews, we've always loved walnuts for their dense nutrients—in fact, when we asked dietitians, walnuts were ranked as one of the healthiest nuts.