Oh Wonderful Walnuts!
Last week I shared the reasoning behind why we should be eating healthy fats with endometriosis, and today I am sharing about one of my favorite good fats: walnuts!
Walnuts are commonly considered a superfood. In addition to their healthy fat content they also contain fiber and antioxidants.
And a little goes a long way.
A quarter of a cup of walnuts provides more than 100% of the daily recommended value of plant-based omega 3 fats: specifically alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
These good fats have an anti-inflammatory reaction in your body and prevent blood clots. They can also help relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and help alleviate depression.
Walnuts contain unique phytonutrients that are very valuable antioxidants. Most of these are found in the skin of the walnuts, so don’t discard that!
Walnuts & Molybdenum… I Digress.
Additionally, I learned today that walnuts contain molybdenum. This stood out to me. Not because I knew what it was exactly… 🙂
But because I remembered it as a suggested supplement from Nutrahacker based on my genetic testing results.
See… I have defects in my NAT2 gene, which is responsible for deactivating carcinogens in my body from things like cigarette smoke and other toxins in the environment.
Now a post on walnuts translated to me doing a bit more digging….
Which brought me to a study that found that women with endometriosis are more susceptible to having NAT2 mutations.
Long story short molybdenum is supposed to help with NAT2 mutations and in turn help with endometriosis 🙂
Turns out that molybdenum is involved in many important biological processes including development of your nervous system, waste processing in your kidneys and energy production in your cells.
Molybdenum also protects your body from free radicals (which come from interactions with carcinogens).
Roasted Walnuts & Berries Recipe
As a reward for making through my biochemistry digression I now present you with my current, favorite way to eat walnuts and it happens in the morning 🙂
Mornings are a good time to get in a dose of healthy fats. This provides energy for the day and helps to balance out blood sugar levels.
As the temperature has dropped in Colorado this past week my body is calling for something warm in the morning. And walnuts have played a part in that.
Check it out….
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of walnuts
- 1/2 cup of raspberries or blueberries (or your fruit of choice)
- 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
Instructions:
- Pre-heat your oven to 170° F
- Roast walnuts for 15-20 minutes (the lower temperature preserves the healthy oils)
- Warm the fruit in a saucepan on the stove – just until warm, not enough to become liquid
- Once done, chop the walnuts
- Mix the roasted walnuts and fruit and top with maple syrup
*Note: It is best to store your walnuts in the freezer to prevent them from going rancid.
On the Positive Side?
You don’t need much walnuts to get all the benefits that they provide for endometriosis.
Honestly I struggle a bit eating walnuts raw, but I found that roasting them brings out the sweetness, which I enjoy 🙂
I think it just amazing how Mother Nature provides little inkings of support in small packages like walnuts…. that are foundational for healing.
Incorporating them into your diet provides the necessary building blocks for less pain and more energy.
How do you like to eat walnuts? Have any recipes to share? I’d love to hear from you….
Thanks for this. Very interesting about the molybdenum, NAT2 and great tips about roasting walnuts and also storing in the freezer. I’ve really noticed that walnuts can go off quickly.
The recipe I use is here but I use walnuts or pecans http://dietitianwithoutborders.com/homemade-nakd-cocoa-orange-bars/
Thanks for sharing the recipe CB. Looks yummy. I’ve pinned to Pinterest for later reference 🙂 I’m thinking we can substitute walnuts for most recipes calling for almonds.
The one thing that confuses me is that walnuts are estrogen heavy; isn’t estrogen dominance an issue for many who suffer from endometriosis? p.s: I’ve been wondering he same about sesame paste.
Hi Lara,
Walnuts have phytoestrogens in them, but so do many foods. It’s nearly impossible to avoid them all, and you can drive yourself crazy trying to do so! I do avoid soy and flax seed as those two bother me. Always listen to your body, it knows best. Sending Love.