(NaturalPath) New research, out of the University of Connecticut, has discovered that walnuts may be able to reduce the risk of colon cancer through their ability to improve colon health.
Nuts provide great sources of protein and fat, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Walnuts are especially known for their healthy omega-3 fatty acid content, having the highest omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. A serving of 14 walnut halves contains 18 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein, totaling 185 calories. Walnuts are also high in alpha linoleic acid (ALA), which has been shown to be protective against some heart arrhythmias.
Due to the many health benefits of walnut consumption, researchers were curious to see if these benefits would improve gut health. Animal subjects were divided into two groups; one group of mice was fed a standard lab mouse diet, while the other group was fed a typical American diet. Then each group was divided into subgroups, and one subgroup from each larger group was given walnuts.
Results showed that mice that were fed the typical American diet plus the walnuts saw a decrease in colon tumors, when compared to mice which were not fed walnuts. Findings also demonstrated that the microflora was noticeably different between the differently fed groups of mice. It was shown that mice that consumed a diet with the addition of walnuts, demonstrated a microflora protective against cancer.
Further research is needed to confirm similar findings in humans, however these results show a potential benefit for reduction of colon cancer risk through the consumption of walnuts.
Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name
References
Nakanishi, Y. Chen, V. Qendro, S. Miyamoto, E. Weinstock, G. M. Weinstock, D. W. Rosenberg. Effects of walnut consumption on colon carcinogenesis and microbial community structure. Cancer Prevention Research, 2016; DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-16-0026