A new study by the University of Reading has found that eating a generous handful of walnuts at the start of the day could help improve memory and brain function in young adults.
The research, which was published in Food&Function, found that consuming a portion of the nuts (50g) as part of a healthy breakfast produced better memory performance later in the day when compared to other foods with the same number of calories.
The study asked 32 young people aged 18 to 30 to eat breakfasts both with and without walnuts and compared their brain function in a series of cognitive tests over a period of six hours after they’d eaten.
Professor Claire Williams, who led the research from the University of Reading, said: “This study helps strengthen the case for walnuts as brain food. A handful of walnuts with breakfast could give young adults a mental edge when they need to perform at the top of their game.
“It’s particularly exciting that such a simple dietary addition could make a measurable difference to cognitive performance.”
To read in more depth about the results and the research, click here