Walnuts vs. Almonds: Which is Better for Brain Health, According to Nutritionists?

What you eat affects the function of every part of your body, from your feet to your brain. So if you’re looking to fill your plate with the best foods to eat to improve your brain health, compare walnuts to almonds and you might just arrive at snack time. Does one contain more mental boosting nutrients than the other?

Meet the experts: Destini Moody, RDN, CSSD, LD, Registered Dietitian at VNutrition. Sapna Pervemba, MS, RDN, is a plant-based registered dietitian in Loma Linda, California.

Here, a nutritionist breaks down how walnuts and almonds each impact brain health, and whether you should choose one or the other to support optimal cognition.

Walnut benefits for the brain

“Most people know that fatty fish like salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for the brain. But walnuts are also a plant-based source of this essential nutrient,” says Destini Moody, RDN, CSSD, LD, registered dietitian at VNutrition. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), walnuts have the third highest intake of alpha linoleic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plant foods, containing 2.5 times the daily recommended intake per ounce. “ALA helps maintain brain cell membranes and may play a role in processes such as neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, the brain’s ability to strengthen connections between neurons,” explains Sapna Pervemba, PhD, MS, RDN, a plant-based registered dietitian in Loma Linda, California.

While ALA provides the most benefits for brain health, walnuts also contain other nutrients that make them the best brain food for memory and cognition. “Walnuts contain polyphenols such as ellagitannins, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may help protect brain cells from age-related damage,” Pervemba says. “Walnuts are unique among nuts in containing high amounts of gamma-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E that may contribute to cardiovascular and neuroprotective effects.”

Studies have also confirmed that eating walnuts is good for brain health. In a study American Journal of Clinical Nutrition It turns out that eating walnuts regularly may slow cognitive decline in older people who are at high risk for cognitive problems, but walnuts did not improve overall cognition in generally healthy people. On the other hand, in another study, Food & Function It turns out that eating walnuts with breakfast may improve executive function and help you remember later in the day.

Benefits of almonds for the brain

The main benefits of almonds for brain health are due to vitamin E. “One ounce of almonds contains about half of your daily need for vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin that also acts as an antioxidant,” says Moody. “In the brain, vitamin E helps protect brain cells from damage that can lead to neurodegenerative diseases.” Unlike walnuts, which contain gamma-tocopherol, almonds are rich in alpha-tocopherol, a type of vitamin E that is actually used by the body, making it an excellent source of this nutrient. (Gamma-tocopherol, on the other hand, must first be metabolized by the liver).

According to the research of Frontiers of nutritionIt has been reported that low intake of vitamin E increases the risk of developing dementia, and it has been suggested that maintaining an optimal intake of vitamin E may help prevent cognitive decline. New research published in nutrition journal They also found that regularly eating almonds improved executive function, processing speed, and overall cognition in prediabetics.

Walnuts or Almonds: Which is Better for Brain Health?

“It’s difficult to say that one nut is definitively ‘good’ for brain health,” says Pervemba. “Many of the strongest links between nuts and cognitive health are actually related to cardiometabolic benefits, such as lowering LDL cholesterol, improving blood pressure, and supporting metabolic health, all of which are risk factors for dementia.” According to the American Heart Association, the heart and brain are “interdependent and linked through common risk factors,” and taking steps to protect your heart may also slow the onset and progression of cognitive impairment later in life. Considering that research has identified nuts as a food that may lower the risk of heart disease, eating either walnuts or almonds could go a long way in supporting brain health.

However, if you look strictly at their effects on the brain, walnuts may be slightly better. “Omega-3s have stronger evidence and a more powerful effect on neuroprotection, so walnuts have a more direct mechanism of action when it comes to brain health,” says Moody. But munching on either is a wise choice for your brain and overall health.

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