Walnuts and Health
Good for Bone Health
A study evaluating the effect of dietary alpha-linolenic acid (ALA/omega-3s) provided by walnuts and flaxseed, on bone turnover found bone health improved with ALA consumption in a clinical research study published in the January 2007 issue of Nutrition Journal. 1
- Methods:
- Controlled human feeding study including 23 participants
- Participants followed three different diets over a six week time frame for each: 1) Average American Diet, 2) Linoleic Diet and 3) ALA Diet.
- Specific markers of bone metabolism and resorption measured during each diet.
- Results
- The researchers concluded that the “results indicate that plant sources of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may have a protective effect on bone metabolism via a decrease in bone resorption in the presence of consistent levels of bone formation.”
1 An increase in dietary n-3 fatty acids decreases a marker of bone resorption in humans. Nutrition Journal. 2007 Jan;6:2.
