Why you need to eat walnuts in the morning

Eating 50 grams of walnuts for breakfast speeds up reactions and improves memory throughout the day compared to an equivalent calorie-free breakfast.

This is stated in the study of American scientists from the University of Reading, the University of Winchester and the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Its results were published in the journal Food&Function.

THE LINK BETWEEN NUTS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION

The food a person eats is one of the most important lifestyle factors that affects cognitive function. A well-balanced diet rich in nutrients can improve mental function throughout life.

One of the foods associated with cognitive health is nuts, and several studies have found a positive association between regular nut consumption and mental function.

For example, the prospective Doetinchem Cohort Study found that higher nut consumption had a positive effect on memory, information processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and overall cognitive function in middle-aged adults. And the Nurses' Health Study showed that older women who consume five or more servings of nuts per week have better cognitive function than those who do not.

Preclinical studies have also demonstrated the benefits of eating walnuts. In the case of rodents, it improved working memory in the Morris water navigation task (a test of spatial representation), as well as improved learning and memory in mazes.

The brain benefits of walnuts may be related to their specific nutrient content, as they are high in omega-3 fatty acids, proteins (peptides) and flavonoids (polyphenols).

WHAT THE STUDY RESULTS SAY

The researchers studied how a walnut-rich breakfast affects cognitive function and mood in healthy young adults throughout the day, as well as potential neurological and physiological mechanisms that may explain any benefits.

The study involved 32 healthy young adults aged 18-30 who consumed both a breakfast with walnuts (added to muesli or yogurt) and, in some cases, a regular breakfast without walnuts. The participants underwent various cognitive tests and their brain activity was monitored for six hours after eating the breakfast.

The brain activity recordings revealed changes in neural activity that suggest that walnuts help the brain work more efficiently during complex mental tasks. And blood samples showed positive changes in glucose and fatty acid levels, both factors that can affect brain function.

According to the results, after eating a walnut breakfast, participants had improved reaction time throughout the day, while memory improvements were observed later in the day.

More research needs to be done to find out how a diet containing walnuts can improve a person's cognitive function in the long term.