Of all nuts, walnuts are special because they contain the heart-healthy polyunsaturated fat called alpha-linolenic acid.  A study at UC Davis confirmed that walnuts help reduce blood cholesterol, especially the small, dense LDL (“bad”) cholesterol that is most likely to damage coronary arteries.   The walnuts (1-1/2 ounces a day) were beneficial whether the initial diet was low-fat or not.  Though walnuts, like all nuts, are high in calories, subjects who ate them did not gain weight.

Source:  The Wellness Kitchen, www.wellnessletter.com