Walnuts Nutrition Summary Walnuts have often been thought of as brain food, not only becuase of the wrinkled brain-like appearance of their shells, but becuase of their high concentration of omega-3 fats. Walnuts are one of the few rich sources of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids and are the nut with the highest overall antioxidant activity. Walnuts are a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper - two minerals that are essential cofactors in a number of enzymes important in antioxidant defenses. Not only has the consumption of walnuts proven beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels, they have been also noted to reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation. In addition to heart healthy ingredients, walnuts also contain a wealth of other nutrients, including vitamin E, the B vitamins, fibre and several minerals. Benefits   The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognises the cholesterol-lowering properties of walnuts. The reason that walnuts demonstrate such heart healthy benefits is because of the presence of high alpha linoleic acid, and phytosterols derived from omega-3 fatty acids.   Many of the studies performed suggest that you only need to consume a handful of walnuts a day to receive the cholesterol-lowering benefits that walnuts generate.   This product contains walnuts in a nutritionally significant quantity: