As you stock your cabinet with healthy foods, you might wonder which is nutritionally superior in the battle of walnuts vs almonds. Glenda’s Farmhouse is a convenient measure for stocking both nuts within your kitchen.
Find Nutritious Foods at Glenda’s Farmhouse
Comparing the Nutritional Profiles of Walnuts and Almonds
Serving size = one ounce
| Walnuts | Almonds |
| ● 185 calories
● 18.5 grams fat ● 4.3 grams protein ● 4 grams carbs ● 2 grams fiber ● 1.3% DV Vitamin E ● 8% DV phosphorus ● 11% DV magnesium |
● 170 calories
● 15 grams fat ● 6 grams protein ● 6 grams carbs ● 3 grams fiber ● 45% DV Vitamin E ● 11% DV phosphorus ● 19% DV magnesium |
Clearly, almonds have the advantage when it comes to the powerful antioxidant Vitamin E, but walnuts offer a higher Omega-3 fatty acid content.
The ALA Omega-3 fatty acids gained from walnuts are essential and tied to brain health, reduced inflammation, heart health, and more.
Comparing the Merits of Walnuts and Almonds
Both walnuts and almonds provide powerful health benefits ranging from weight management to cognitive health, cardiovascular health, blood sugar management, and more. Let’s pinpoint which nut performs better for specific goals.
Cardiovascular Health
Walnuts and almonds both protect heart health.
Walnuts have elevated levels of ALA Omega-3s, polyphenols, and phytosterols. Each of these elements help lower total cholesterol and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, and they can help lower blood pressure numbers.
Almonds have a wealth of antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids that result in lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Weight Loss and Management
Nuts have a quite unfair poor reputation when it comes to weight loss because they tend to have a high degree of fat and calorie content. However, these fats are often the healthier types of fats, and the high degree of fiber can mitigate the caloric absorption of eating nuts and create long lasting feelings of fullness.
Almonds are of particular interest to those trying to lose weight. Studies have shown almonds to be linked to a reduction of visceral fat around the waist, which happens to be the fat that kills.
Cognitive Health
The ALA Omega-3s and antioxidants in walnuts make them the winner for cognitive benefits. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the ALA Omega-3s help overcome many of the age-related factors that often lead to cognitive decline.
Blood Sugar Management
For controlling blood sugar levels, almonds are superior to walnuts. Studies have demonstrated that they’re able to lower a meal’s glycemic index while studies of walnuts on blood sugars haven’t demonstrated this ability.
The factor that may lead to this difference is the flavonoids within almonds, which likely resist the effectiveness of amylase. Slowing amylase’s operations will slow the metabolism of sugar.
Tale of the Tape
In a comparison of walnuts and almonds, the health benefits to the cardiovascular system are fairly even. Almonds are better for weight and blood sugar management, and walnuts offer superior cognitive benefits.
As you weigh walnuts vs almonds, you’ll likely discover that incorporating both of them into a healthy diet brings great nutritional advantage. Glenda’s Farmhouse proudly grows, harvests, packages, and distributes both of these wholesome foods, so if you’d like to keep a fresh supply in your home, order online today.