Eating walnuts may be key to a happier state-of-mind, say scientists who found that the nuts help improve mood, especially in young men. In this first intervention study in humans, researchers measured the effect of walnut consumption on mood.
"In the past, studies on walnuts have shown beneficial effects on many health outcomes like heart disease, diabetes and obesity," said Peter Pribis, professor at University of New Mexico.
"Our study was different because we focused on cognition, and in this controlled randomised trial (CRT) we measured mood outcomes in males and females," he said.
The participants of the study were 64 students between the ages of 18-25. They represented most ethnic groups - Caucasian, African American, Hispanic and Asia.
There are several nutrients in walnuts that could be responsible for the improved mood like alpha-Linolenic acid, vitamin E, folate, polyphenols or melatonin.
However, this was a whole food study, so in the end it was the synergy and interaction of all the nutrients in the walnuts combined.
