Walnuts May Support Brain Function in Older Adults, Study Shows

By Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC

Fact checked by James Lacy

Key Takeaways

  • Eating walnuts may result in better cognitive function in older people compared those who don’t eat walnuts.

  • If you don’t like walnuts, other foods have been shown to support brain health as well, such as eggs, fish, and blueberries.

  • Following a dietary pattern that supports brain health, like the Mediterranean diet, may be a better recommendation than focusing on one single food.

Eating walnuts could be the ticket to supporting cognitive function in older adults, according to a recent study.

After conducting telephone interviews to assess cognitive status in 3,632 adults ages 65 and older in the U.S., researchers concluded any walnut consumption was associated with higher cognitive ability. The results were published in Public Health Nutrition on July 31.1

“In this study, researchers found walnut consumption—even less than the traditional 1-ounce serving—was associated with greater cognitive scores than in non-walnut eaters,” Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, a partner with California Walnuts, who funded the study, tells Verywell.

Article submitted by Pat France, MSRN Member