In a study of 51,188 women ages 20 to 45 who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II, eating nuts a couple of times a week prevented weight gain. And walnuts are particularly powerful.

But walnuts don't just help you maintain a healthy weight. For both men and women, walnuts can also help prevent atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. A recent lab study shows that the development of atherosclerosis encourages the loss of bone density. That's because when arteries get clogged with bad LDL cholesterol, fewer nutrients get to the bones, which means a loss of bone integrity — and that leads to osteoporosis.

But a steady diet of walnuts can get right to the heart of the problem, providing heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, ALA omega-3 in particular, that reduce levels of bad cholesterol. Plus, they're a good source of copper — and copper deficiency is associated with low bone mineral density.

So eat your walnuts, whether they’re salted, unsalted, raw or roasted. They can help you avoid weight gain, protect against heart disease, and maintain bone strength. Many people even tell us they relieve joint pain.

Get nutty with 1.5 ounces of walnuts, and do it more than twice a week.