Eating Walnuts May Help Keep Gut Happy

Eating walnuts may keep your digestive system happy. Researchers found that walnuts act as a prebiotic in the gut, increasing levels of good probiotic bacteria and as well as its diversity. “Gut health is an emerging research area, but we are seeing that greater bacterial diversity may be associated with better health outcomes, whereas low diversity has been linked to conditions such as obesity and inflammatory bowel disease,” said lead researcher Lauri Byerley, Ph.D. of Louisiana State University. In the study, rats were randomly assigned to a diet containing ground walnuts, equivalent to about 2 ounces (1/2 cup) per day in humans, or a diet without walnuts for up to 10 weeks. The two diet groups consumed similar amounts of calories and nutrients. Compared to […] Read More