Less than a handful of walnuts a day can improve brain function and memory, according to research from the David Geffen School of Medicine at The University of California, Los Angeles.

Researchers saw improved performance on “cognitive function tests, including those for memory, concentration and information-processing speed,” according to newsobserver.com. There was improvement regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.





“It is exciting to see the strength of the evidence from this analysis across the U.S. population supporting the previous results of animal studies that have shown the neuroprotective benefit from eating walnuts,” the lead researcher, Dr. Lenore Arab, said in press release, according to CBS News.

“And it’s a realistic amount — less than a handful per day (13 grams).”

There are many ingredients in walnuts that may prove to be beneficial.

These include the high antioxidant content of the nuts, the combination of numerous vitamins and minerals, “and the fact that they are the only nut that contains a significant source of alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid with heart and brain-health benefits,” News Observer reports.

CBS notes the research was funded in part by the California Walnut Commission.