5 Health Benefits of Walnuts: How To Boost Your Kid's Brain Power

One of the biggest challenges we face when trying to feed our kids is hitting that delicate balance of giving them something delicious but nutritious. Most snack items today can definitely be delicious, but they're not always nutritious, or at the very least have way too much sugar in them!

Here's where the wonderful walnut comes in: not only is it packed with lots of nutrients that are great for your children's brain development, growth, and immune system; it's also delicious and easy to incorporate in the snacks, desserts, or even savory dishes your kids already love.

Health Benefits of Walnuts For Children

1 Walnuts are great brain food for your kids.

It’s a funny coincidence that walnuts are brain-shaped, because they’re actually great for your children’s brains! Walnuts contain folate and omega-3, which are essential for brain development and function. Folate and omega-3 fatty acids help your kids' brains by improving memory and by boosting brain cell activity — something that's sure to help them learn and grow.

2 Walnuts are full of essential nutrients.

Walnuts may be small, but they pack a huge nutritional punch! Aside from folate and omega-3 for brain development, walnuts also have the following nutrients:

• Thiamine or vitamin B1: Helps in metabolism, or turning food into energy for the body.
• Vitamin B6: Helps in brain development and keeps the nervous and immune system healthy.
• Phosphorus, Magnesium, & Copper: Help keep bones and teeth healthy, boost the nervous system, and help in energy production.
• Zinc: Helps in developing senses of taste and smell, metabolism, and wound healing.

All in all, walnuts contain nutrients that help in one way or another in your child's digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal, and even circulatory systems!

3 Walnuts can help your kids maintain an healthy weight.

Despite being chock full of nutrients, walnuts are also high in fiber. Fiber helps keep the food in your kids' bellies moving along while helping the body absorb nutrients. Additionally, because walnuts also contain healthy fats, they can also make your kids feel full for a longer period — which means a little goes a long way when your kids have walnuts as snacks.

4 Walnuts are a high-protein food.

Kids need a lot of protein growing up: it helps them develop strong bones and muscles, after all. And as luck (or nature) would have it, walnuts are also high in protein. Here's how much protein kids need in a day, depending on their age:

• 1-3 years old: 13 grams (or 0.5g per pound of body weight)
• 4-8 years old: 19 grams
• 9-13 years old: 34 grams
• 14-18 years old (girls): 46 grams
• 14-18 years old (boys): 52 grams

Walnuts contain 4 grams of protein per ounce of serving, which means your kids don't need to eat a lot to hit their daily recommended protein intake.

5 Walnuts are rich in antioxidants.

Antioxidants fight the toxins in your child's body to keep them healthy, which can reduce the chances of them getting diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. And as if they aren't already full of healthy nutrients, walnuts also happen to be rich in antioxidants — yet another reason to keep a bag of these brain-shaped nuts always handy at home.

How to Add Walnuts to Your Child's Diet

1 Serve walnuts as a snack, as is.

You don't need to do a lot to walnuts before feeding them to your children: they're delicious all by themselves. You can buy them toasted and ready to go, but if you happen to get raw walnuts, all you need to do is toast them lightly — you'll know because they'll start to look shinier and smell deliciously nutty.

You can toast walnuts in different ways:

• On the stovetop: Use a large frying pan, and add just enough to form 1 layer on the surface. Toss over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until they're brown and fragrant.
• In the oven or air fryer: Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius. In a sheet pan, arrange walnuts in 1 layer. Bake for about 5 minutes and check on the walnuts; add more time if necessary. You'll know they're done when they are brown and smell nutty.

2 Make candied walnuts.

Walnuts may not be medicine, but adding a little bit of sugar will make them go down faster. Candied walnuts are delicious snacks by themselves already, but you can also use them as toppings like in this Mango and Candied Walnuts French Toast Recipe, or make your own customized trail mix for your kids by mixing candied walnuts with pretzels, chocolate, and popcorn!

Here's how to make candied walnuts:

1. For every cup of walnuts, you'll need 1 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of water. Toast the walnuts and set them aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a pot, combine sugar and water and let the mixture boil over medium heat. Turn the heat to low once the mixture begins to turn into a light golden color.
3. Add walnuts and stir to coat each nut evenly and keep swirling the pan until the sugar mixtur turns amber in color.
4. Transfer the sugar-coated walnuts on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Separate walnuts with a fork while they're still hot. Let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.

3 Add walnuts in your kids' favorite cereal.

Whether they're plainly salted or candied, you can easily add more protein to your child's breakfast by adding walnuts to their favorite cereal! Alternatively, you can also substitute or add them to your favorite granola bar or revel bar recipe so that they can have healthy snacks on the go.

4 Mix walnuts in ice cream, pudding, or yogurt.

Who doesn't like a little crunch to go with creamy desserts? You can make your child's favorite ice cream dessert a little healthier by simply topping them with walnuts! You can use this trick in puddings or yogurts, too. Bonus: if your family loves mango graham float, you can also add walnuts to this beloved Filipino dessert!

5 Use chopped walnuts as toppings in muffins, cupcakes, or pancakes.

Walnuts are so versatile that you can also easily incorporate them in your baking as well. They have a mild flavor that goes well with almost any kind of baked product; whether your kids love chocolate cupcakes or fruity muffins, you can add chopped walnuts in your batter or use them as toppings!

6 Add chopped walnuts to your kids' favorite stir-fry or toss them in salads.

Did you know that walnuts lend themselves deliciously well in savory dishes, too? You can make a Panda Express-inspired dish with by adding candied walnuts to stir-fried shrimp, like in this Honey Walnut Shrimps Recipe or even add them to salads, like in this Chicken Pesto Salad Recipe. And speaking of pesto, if you're ever unable to get pine nuts, walnuts can be a great substitute to use, too!

Bonus Tips On Where To Buy Walnuts And How To Store Them

It's easy enough to find walnuts in the supermarket (they're usually in the snack section), but let's face it: these walnuts can be a bit pricey! Here are a couple of tips on where to buy walnuts in the Philippines and how to prolong their shelf life:

Buy walnuts by the kilo in baking supply stores or online shops.

Baking supply stores, whether they're brick-and-mortar or online, usually carry raw walnuts by the kilo, or repacked in 250-gram and 500-gram packs. You'll need to toast them before eating, but you'll definitely be saving more money per gram when you buy them in bulk compared to ready-to-eat packs in the supermarket. Of course, purchasing ready-to-eat packs at the supermarket is still a good and convenient option.

Freeze or refrigerate walnuts in airtight containers.

Walnuts can go bad — you'll know because they'll look discolored, smell kind of sour, or even develop mold. To avoid this, you can store them in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags (this also helps them avoid absorbing other smells). Toasted walnuts can last up to a month in the refrigerator and up to three months in a freezer.

Raw walnuts will last longer in the freezer than toasted walnuts.

The reason why so many baking supply stores sell walnuts raw is because these have longer shelf lives. Raw walnuts can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 months, or they can be frozen for up to 9 months. You can always thaw and toast them as needed; they taste the most delicious when freshly toasted. 

Walnuts are super versatile not only when it comes to taste, but also by how easily it can be incorporated in sweet and savory dishes. It's an easy way to make your children's diets healthier and that much more nutritious!

Want more healthy snack ideas? Here are 10 snack ideas you can easily make at home.