California Walnut Commission launches a handbook to highlight the benefits of walnuts in diabetes
New Delhi, 17 April, 2015: According to staggering figures released by The International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) fifth diabetes atlas, India’s prevalence of diabetes among 20-79 year olds is 9.2% which constitutes the major share of 1.25 billion people in India. India is only second to China, in prevalence. Rates of diabetes is excessively high in young to middle-aged adults in Asian countries due to poor dietary choices. In order to address this issue and provide a preventive lifestyle, the California Walnut Commission and Geetu Amarnani, Nutritionist & Lifestyle Management Consultant launched a handbook, ‘California Walnuts Nutrition and Health’. The book which has a Foreword by renowned cardiologist Dr HK Chopra, highlights the history of walnuts along with their nutritional and health benefits for people with diabetes. The book has been launched on the eve of DIABCON- one of the largest Diabetes Conventions in India which brings together specialists in this area from all across the country.
There are numerous active ingredients in walnuts that may be contributing factors in providing health benefits. “Walnuts are one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acid, with 2.5 grams of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) per serving. They reduce total cholesterol and LDL ‘bad cholesterol’. I recommend an ounce (28gms) of walnuts a day to keep the heart attack away”, said Dr. H.K Chopra, Organising Chairman, World Congress on Clinical, Preventive Cardiology and Imaging 2014.
Fat is a dietary component vital to human growth and development. Our body cannot make certain essential fatty acids, including linoleic (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), so we must get from the foods we eat. Geetu Amarnani, Nutritionist & Lifestyle Management Consultant said, “An ounce of walnuts provides 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. The California Walnut Commission’s two decades of walnut health research has successfully demonstrated the nutritive properties of walnuts. This handbook aims to help a wide audience, from children to adults and people suffering from medical conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity”.
Mr. Keith Sunderlal, India Representative, California Walnut Commission, spoke about the California Walnut Industry, “The California Walnut Commission has been dedicated to walnut health research over the past 20 years, with more than 159 papers that have shown how walnuts positively affect heart health, diabetes, cancer, cognition, fertility and weight management. This handbook helps advance the understanding of the many advantages of eating walnuts as part of a healthy diet.” This handbook supported by the California Walnut Commission will provide health professionals with useful information to guide patients on the inclusion of walnuts in daily diet and adopt a healthier lifestyle.
California Walnut Commission
The California Walnut Commission, established in 1987, is funded by mandatory assessments of the growers. The Commission is an agency of the State of California that works in concurrence with the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The CWC is mainly involved in health research and export market development activities. 
The SCS Group
The SCS Group is an agribusiness consulting firm based in Gurgaon, specializing in marketing, international trade and communications strategy related to food, beverage and agricultural products. The firm has an intimate understanding of the evolving tastes and purchasing patterns of premium foods by the Indian consumer as their disposable incomes grow and they integrate into the global economy. The SCS Group represents the California Walnut Commission in India.
