Latest from Food Politics: Industry-funded study of the week: walnuts

Thanks to Matthew Kadey for this one. The Study: The impact of a walnut-rich breakfast on cognitive performance and brain activity throughout the day in healthy young adults: a crossover intervention trial.   L. Bell,   G. F. Dodd,   M. Jeavons,   ...

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by Marion Nestle   July 14 2025 Industry-funded study of the week: walnuts Thanks to Matthew Kadey for this one. The Study: The impact of a walnut-rich breakfast on cognitive performance and brain activity throughout the day in healthy young adults: a crossover intervention trial.  L. Bell,  G. F. Dodd,  M. Jeavons,   D. R. Fisher,   A. R. Whyte,   B. Shukitt-Hale,c  and  C. M. Williams. Food Funct., 2025,16, 1696-1707.   Method: To examine whether walnuts led to cognitive improvements throughout the day, 32 healthy young adults, aged 18–30, were tested in a double-blind, crossover pilot study, to compare the effects of a breakfast containing 50 g walnuts with a calorie-matched control containing no nuts. Results: Mood ratings for negative affect appeared worse following walnuts compared to control, possibly due to a general dislike of the intervention. However, walnuts elicited faster reaction times throughout the day on executive function tasks. Conclusion:  Overall, these findings provide evidence for reaction time benefits throughout the day following a walnut-rich breakfast, while memory findings were mixed with benefits only observed later in the day. Funding: The study was funded by the California Walnut Commission, USA. The funder made no contribution during the design or implementation of the study, nor in the interpretation of findings or the decision to publish. Comment: People don’t like eating walnuts for breakfast?  The study managed to find enough evidence to justify the funding.  Why the California Walnut Commission keeps funding such studies makes plenty of marketing sense, if not scientific sense.  The Commission would like you to believe that there is something specially good for your health about walnuts as compared to any other nuts or foods, so you will buy walnuts rather than those others.  Walnuts are fine foods.  Eat them if you like them.  If not, other nuts are also healthy.  But watch out for the calories: 50 grams provides more than 300. The post Industry-funded study of the week: walnuts appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle      Related Posts Industry-funded study of the week: kimchi Industry-funded study of the week: MSG of all things Industry-funded study of the week: soy   This message was sent to edwardlorilla2007.tower@blogger.com. Manage your subscription here. Marion Nestle, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, NYU, 411 Lafayette, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003-7035, United States marion.nestle@nyu.edu Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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