January 10/Scranton, Pa./University of Scranton -- A new study by University of Scranton Chemistry Professor Joe Vinson, Ph.D., published in The Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Food and Function online on December 21, 2011, shows nuts pack a healthy punch and ranks walnuts at the top for having both more healthful antioxidants, called polyphenols, and a higher antioxidant potency than the other nuts analyzed.
Vinson's study evaluated nine types of raw and roasted nuts and two types of peanut butter to assess the total amount of polyphenols found in each, as well as the polyphenols' expected ability to inhibit oxidation of lower density lipoproteins, often referred to as "bad cholesterol." His study found that walnuts had the highest levels of antioxidants and that the quality, or potency, of antioxidants present in walnuts was highest among the nuts.