Walnuts aid to fight stress, lower BP

A new study says that Walnuts can help you to fight stress and reduce blood pressure.

"We wanted to find out if omega 3-fatty acids from plant sources would blunt cardiovascular responses to stress," said Professor Sheila West from the Penn State University in the US.

The researchers found that including walnuts and walnut oil in the diet lowered both resting blood pressure and blood pressure responses to stress in the laboratory.

"This is important because we can't avoid all of the stresses in our daily lives. This study shows that a dietary change could help our bodies’ better respond to stress," she said. Results also showed that adding flax oil to the walnut diet significantly improved the test of vascular health. It means Walnut could also reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

Walnuts are a rich source of fiber, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids, particularly alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.

"These results are in agreement with several recent studies showing that walnuts can reduce cholesterol and blood pressure," noted West.