Whether you want to prepare for exams or simply want to outsmart everyone at a workplace meeting, a good memory can always help you. The world may have become all digital, but a basic instinct like memory is still one of the most prominent human qualities that help us in our daily lives. We all like or envy that one person in class or office who remembers everything. While age is known as the strongest risk factor for cognitive decline, eating a handful of nuts every day can improve mental health and memory skills by up to 60 percent, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging.
The findings of the study showed that consuming nuts for a long period of time could be the key to better cognitive health, including improved thinking, reasoning and memory, especially in older people. “By eating more than 10 grams (or two teaspoons) of nuts per day older people could improve their cognitive function by up to 60 percent — compared to those not eating nuts — effectively warding off what would normally be experienced as a natural two-year cognition decline,” said lead researcher Ming Li from the University of South Australia. The study included 4,822 Chinese adults aged 55 and above. The reason could be because peanuts have specific anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that help reduce cognitive decline, including dementia. Nuts contain numerous types of macro nutrients like iron, vitamins, minerals, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids and many other micro nutrients such as copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium and zinc. In short these are known as power generators for our body.Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet may be good for your heart. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients. And they’re a great snack food — inexpensive, easy to store and easy to pack when you’re on the go.
One drawback to nuts is that they’re high in calories, so it’s important to limit portions. But choosing nuts instead of a less healthy snack may just help you stick to a heart-healthy diet.Although a great deal of research suggests that nuts can benefit heart health and reduce the risks of dying early from heart disease and other causes, the evidence is still inconclusive. But, unless you’re allergic to nuts, there’s no real danger in eating nuts, so you can certainly include nuts as part of your heart-healthy diet. One way nuts may help your heart health is by lowering the low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol levels. LDL plays a major role in the development of plaque that builds up on the blood vessels. Eating more nuts has also been linked to lower levels of inflammation linked to heart disease.
Eating nuts may also reduce your risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack. Nuts also appear to improve the health of the lining of your arteries.As much as 80 percent of a nut is fat. Even though most of this fat is healthy fat, it’s still a lot of calories. That’s why you should eat nuts in moderation. Ideally, you should use nuts as a substitute for saturated fats, such as those found in meats, eggs and dairy products.Instead of eating foods with unhealthy saturated fats, try substituting a handful of nuts or a tablespoon or two of a nut spread. The American Heart Association recommends eating about four servings of unsalted nuts a week. Select raw or dry-roasted nuts rather than those cooked in oil.A serving is a small handful (1.5 ounces) of whole nuts or 2 tablespoons of nut butter. But again, do this as part of a heart-healthy diet. Just eating nuts and not cutting back on saturated fats found in many dairy and meat products won’t do your heart any good.The type of nuts you choose to eat probably doesn’t matter much. Most nuts appear to be generally healthy, though some may have more heart-healthy nutrients than others. For example, walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.Almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans are other nuts that appear to be quite heart healthy. And peanuts — which are technically not a nut, but a legume, like beans — seem to be relatively healthy.Nut oils are also a good source of healthy nutrients, but they lack the fiber found in whole nuts. Walnut oil is the highest in omega-3s.Consider using nut oils in homemade salad dressing or in cooking.When cooking with nut oils, remember that they respond differently to heat than do vegetable oils.
According to the World Health Organization, the number of people living with dementia globally is at 47 million. By 2030, this is projected to rise to 75 million and by 2050, global dementia cases are estimated to almost triple. “Population ageing is one of the most substantial challenges of the twenty first century. Not only are people living longer… they naturally experience changes to conceptual reasoning, memory, and processing speed,” Li said.
“While there is no cure for age-related cognition decline and neurogenerative disease, variations in what people eat are delivering improvements for older people. If we can find ways to help older people retain their cognitive health and independence for longer – even by modifying their diet – then this is absolutely worth the effort,” Li suggested.
Nuts play an important role in achieving different health benefits, including improving cognitive health, but one should consume them at different intervals during a day to extract the maximum number of aids from them.
Here is how you should be consuming these nutritionally dense foods:
Morning – Almonds can provide positive effects on your health. Rich in many nutrients these are deemed as the perfect nuts to start your day with.
Evening – Pistachios, Cashew and Pine Nuts. They can help boost your immunity and stamina after a long day at work. These could also be a great snacking option.
Night – Walnuts, Prunes, and Dates. They are high in soluble fibre and can significantly help you with problems related to digestion and constipation. Consuming them at night will ensure you don’t feel bloated or constipated the next day.
