FDA Allows Health Claim for Walnuts
In an important decision, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) affirmed the health claim, "Supportive
but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces per day
of walnuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol
may reduce the risk of heart disease.
This FDA decision comes in response to a petition filed by the California
Walnut Commission which highlights a body of international scientific
research substantiating the specific benefit of consuming walnuts
as part of a heart healthy diet in reducing the risk of heart disease.
The body of evidence suggests that the nutritional composition
of walnuts contribute to these heart health benefits.
According to Dr. Sheila G. West, Vascular Intervention Health Lab,
Penn State University, "There is a good amount of epidemiological
evidence, population based evidence that people who consume nuts,
and walnuts in particular, have less cardiovascular risk.
There is also a very strong body of literature to say that the
special kind of fatty acids; the omega-3 fatty acids that are present
in walnuts, help protect people against heart disease."
The 1.5 ounces of walnuts cited by the FDA more than fulfill the
daily requirement of essential omega-3 fatty acids, a critical nutrient
deficient in the American diet.
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