Walnut vs. Almonds: Which nutrient is best for health, according to dietitians

What you eat affects the functioning of every part of your body, from your feet to your brain. So if you’re trying to fill your plate with the best foods for optimal brain health, you might want to consider walnuts and almonds at dinnertime. Does one have more nutrients than the other?

Meet the experts: Destini Moody, RDN, CSSD, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist at VNutrition; Sapna Pirwimba, MS, RDN, is a registered plant-based nutritionist in Loma Linda, CA.

Here, nutritionists explain how walnuts and almonds each affect your brain health, and whether you might choose one over the other for better cognitive support.

Benefits of walnuts for your brain

“Most people know that fatty fish like salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for the brain. However, walnuts are also a plant-based source of this essential nutrient.” says Destiny Moody, RDN, CSSD, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist at VNutrition. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), walnuts are the third-highest dietary source of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plant foods, with 2.5 times the recommended daily intake per ounce. “ALA helps maintain the brain’s cell membranes and may play a role in processes such as neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity,” or the brain’s ability to strengthen connections between neurons, explains Sapna Pirumba, MS, RDN, a plant-based registered dietitian in Loma Linda, CA.

While ALA offers the greatest benefits for brain health, walnuts also contain other nutrients that make them a top brain-healthy food for memory and cognition. “Walnuts contain polyphenols such as ellagitannins, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect brain cells from age-related damage,” says Peruvemba. “Walnuts are also unique among nuts for providing the highest levels of gamma-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E that may contribute to cardiovascular and neuroprotective benefits.”

Studies have also shown the benefits of eating walnuts for brain health. A study in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating walnuts regularly prevented cognitive decline in older adults at high risk of cognitive issues, although walnuts did not improve overall cognition in otherwise healthy people. At the same time, separate research Food and activity It has been found that eating walnuts for breakfast may improve executive function and memory later in the day.

Benefits of almonds for your brain

The primary benefit of almonds for brain health comes from vitamin E. “A one-ounce serving of almonds contains about half of your daily requirement of vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin that also acts as an antioxidant,” Moody says. “In the brain, vitamin E protects brain cells from damage that can lead to neurological disorders.” Unlike walnuts, which contain gamma-tocopherol, almonds are rich in alpha-tocopherol, the form of vitamin E that is actually used by the body, making them an exceptional source of this nutrient. (Gamma-tocopherol, on the other hand, must first be metabolized by the liver).

According to a study in Frontiers in nutritionLow vitamin E intake is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia, suggesting that maintaining optimal vitamin E intake may help prevent cognitive decline. A new study published in Journal of Nutrition It has also been found that eating almonds regularly improves executive function, processing speed, and overall cognition in people with diabetes.

Walnuts and Almonds: Which is Better for Brain Health?

“It’s hard to say that one nut is definitively ‘best’ for brain health,” says Pirwimba. “Many of the strongest links between the brain and cognitive health are actually related to their cardiometabolic benefits, such as lowering LDL cholesterol, improving blood pressure, and supporting metabolic health—all of which are risk factors for dementia.” According to the American Heart Association, the heart and brain are “interdependent and linked through shared risk factors,” and taking steps to protect your heart may slow the onset or progression of cognitive impairment later in life. Considering that research has identified nut foods as reducing your risk of heart disease, eating walnuts or almonds may help your brain health.

That said, if you look closely at the ways they act on the brain, walnuts may have a slight edge. “Walnuts have a more direct mechanism of action in terms of brain health because omega-3s have strong evidence and a very strong effect on neuroprotection,” Moody says. But mixing in both is the best choice for your brain and your overall health.

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