On the TV series “The Waltons,” John-Boy Walton (played by Richard Thomas) was notoriously wholesome and filled with the right stuff to assure that his future was happy and healthy.

If you ask us, that show could have been called "The Walnuts," because that wholesome, crunchy treat is also filled with the right stuff to help you live a happy, healthy life — including omega-3 fatty acid, folate, and assorted forms of vitamin E.

Several studies have found that eating walnuts improves heart health, lowers lousy LDL cholesterol, and reduces your risk for diabetes — and they even reduce your appetite!

Now, a new study (sponsored by the California Walnut Board) looked at walnuts' effect on the health of people 25 to 75 years old who had multiple risk factors for diabetes, such as being overweight; having elevated levels of blood sugar, LDL cholesterol, and blood pressure; or excess fat around their midsection.

It confirmed that eating about 2 ounces (14 walnut halves) daily for six months improves blood vessel function, reduces LDL cholesterol, and leads to overall improved nutritional habits.

So how can you enjoy your daily dose of walnuts? For breakfast, chop six halves and sprinkle on 100 percent whole-grain cereal.

At lunch, break four into an arugula salad with beets and tangerine sections.

And at dinner, top off a tasty pesto sauce, over 100 percent whole-grain pasta, with the last four halves of the day.

Walnuts also taste great with fish, skinless chicken, mixed into steamed veggies, or all by themselves.