U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
Walnuts
[Running time:  ~ 1:30]

Welcome to “Focus on Ag Research” from the Agricultural Research Service or A-R-S.  A-R-S is the U-S Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific research agency.

Sometimes it seems as if the foods we like the most are the ones we’re supposed to avoid. That’s especially true for the foods we like to snack on.

Tree nuts, like almonds and walnuts, may be the exception to that rule. They’re high in protein and they have the type of fat that’s good for you.  When they’re part of a regular diet, tree nuts can also reduce your risk of obesity and increase your cardiovascular health.
 
But many people stay away from tree nuts because they think they’re high in calories. And that’s simply not true.

In fact, ARS scientists fed walnuts to people, counted their calories and found that walnuts actually have far fewer calories than the original USDA estimates. They also found the same thing is true for almonds and to a lesser extent for pistachios. 

A-R-S scientists have a long history of keeping people informed about the foods they eat so they can make better decisions about their diets. 

To learn more about ARS research, visit AgResearch magazine at www.agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov.  

That’s our podcast for today.  Thanks for listening.