Serving Walnuts

Although walnuts have always been considered a significant source of calories and nutrients for many centuries, nuts generally fell out of favor with health-conscious Americans during the low-fat diet that were popular in the 80s. Today, walnuts are recognized as a nutrient-dense source of protein, fatty acids, antioxidants and dietary fiber. As stated by the US Food and Drug Administration, eating a handful of nuts every day protects against heart disease.

As walnuts are commonly considered a concentrated source of calories and fat, and since many people do not estimate properly how many nuts are in one serving, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States recommends amount of individual portions that you can comfortably fit in the palm of your hand. While the US Food and Drug Administration suggests eating a handful of nuts daily to help reduce your risk of heart disease, the American Heart Association suggests consuming a small handful of nuts just four times per week.