Nutritional Value of Walnuts

Walnuts, one of the most popular nuts worldwide, have a special place and a variety of uses in the Greek Mediterranean diet.

Specifically, walnuts are found in traditional confections, such as walnut cake, melomakarona and baklava, and they often accompany traditional yogurt with honey.

Nutritional Value of Walnuts	per serving: 30 g1	RDI per serving2
Kcal	196.2	9.8%
Fat (g)	19.6	25.1%
Saturated fat (g)	1.8	9.2%
Monounsaturated fat (g)	2.7	–
Polyunsaturated fat (g)	14.2	–
of which omega-3s (g)	2.7	–
Carbohydrates (g)	4.1	1.5%
Fiber (g)	2.0	7.2%
Sugar (g)	0.8	0.9%
Protein (g)	4.6	9.1%
Cholesterol (mg)	0.0	0.0%
Salt (g)	0.6	0.0%
1 Values are based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient database.[1] 2 The percentage of Recommended Daily Intake (% RDI) shows how much of the recommended daily intake of each nutrient is contained in a single serving. Calculations are based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) daily values, based on 2,000 Kcal per day for an average healthy adult. Depending on an individual’s energy needs, % RDI can be lower or higher.

Nuts, including walnuts, are at the base of the Mediterranean Food Pyramid, and it is recommended that they be consumed daily (1-2 servings per day). They are an excellent source of ‘good’ fats and other nutrients.

In terms of nutritional value, walnuts consist primarily of fat, which is why they high in calories. A single serving – 30 grams of raw walnuts – will yield approximately 200 Kcal.

In walnuts we find primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are often referred to as ‘good’ fats, vital for good health. Specifically, walnuts are an excellent source of α-linolenic acid (ALA), a much-needed omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid.

Compared to other nuts such as almonds and pistachios, walnuts have the highest content of polyunsaturated fats, including α-linolenic, which is why they are often also referred to as ‘the king’ of nuts.

Walnuts are also a good source of plant proteins, fiber and trace elements, such as copper and manganese.

Walnut consumption has been associated with several health benefits.

More specifically, they are strongly linked with good heart health. Numerous studies have associated walnut consumption with reduced risk of cardiovascular events.[2]

Their cardioprotective benefits are partly due to their lipid-lowering effect. The Walnut and Healthy Aging (WAHA) study is the largest and longest-running clinical study to date to have examined the effect of walnut consumption on lipid profile.

The results of this two-year randomised clinical study showed that fortifying elderly people’s normal diet with 30-60 grams of walnuts per day resulted in a moderate reduction of bad cholesterol (LDL-C), by 4.3 mg/dL, and total cholesterol by 8.5 mg/dL.[3]

Incorporating nuts into our daily diet also appears to have significant benefits for weight management and may be protective against the occurrence of diabetes.[4]

To sum up, walnuts are one of the most nutritious nuts and offer multiple health benefits.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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[1] USDA. Food search. Nuts, walnuts, English. Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170187/nutrients. (Accessed October 2024).

[2] Becerra-Tomás Ν, Paz-Graniel I, Kendall C, Kahleova H, Rahelić D, Sievenpiper J, Salas-Salvadó J. Nut consumption and incidence of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular disease mortality: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Nutr Rev. 2019 77(10):691-709. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz042.

[3] Rajaram S, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, Haddad E, Serra-Mir M, Bitok E, Roth I, Freitas-Simoes T et al. Effects of walnut consumption for 2 years on lipoprotein subclasses among healthy elders. Circulation. 2021 144(13):1083–1085. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.054051.

[4] Pan Α, Sun Q, Manson J, Willett W, Hu F. Walnut consumption is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes in women. J Nutr. 2013 143(4): 512–518. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.172171.