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Add Walnuts to Your Next Meal

They’re packed with healthy omega-3s

By

Staying Sharp

Updated June 13, 2024

Updated June 13, 2024

A close-up view of berries and walnuts in a bowl

Stacey Winters/Getty Images

Quick Win

The nutrient-rich nuts can elevate everything from oatmeal to tacos.

Try This Today

Look for ways to add walnuts throughout the week. The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends most adults 60 and older eat a total of 4 ounces of nuts, seeds and soy products each week.
It's easy to add walnuts to salads, soups, rice, pasta, quinoa, cereal, granola, oatmeal, pancakes, smoothies — and tacos.
Get creative and try using walnuts instead of pine nuts in homemade pesto. Or use them to make hearty vegan taco “meat.”

Why

Although all types of nuts are a healthy choice, walnuts are especially high in omega-3 fatty acids, research shows. These fats are linked to healthy brain aging, according to AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health 2018 report “Brain Food.”

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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