Scientists from the University of South Australia discovered that walnuts can counteract the effects of academic stress on students. The research was published in the journal nutrients.
80 undergraduate students participated in the study. Half of them took walnuts daily for 16 weeks, while the second group (control) ate as usual.
The scientists found that walnuts were associated with improved mental health scores, overall sleep quality, and gut bacteria metabolism. Students in the control group reported increased levels of stress and depression before exams, but students in the experimental group did not.
The authors noted that due to the smaller number of men in their study, more studies are needed to determine the gender-specific effects of walnuts and academic stress on college students. It is also possible that their results are due to the placebo effect, so placebo-controlled studies are needed.