Oatmeal is a quick and easy way to introduce nutritional health benefits into your meals. This oatmeal recipe highlights the benefits of four key ingredients — walnuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds, and ground cinnamon. The distinct spicy-sweet flavor of the cinnamon pairs well with this assortment of nuts, providing a healthy, balanced, and delicious meal.
Walnuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds, and ground cinnamon have a wide variety of positive health effects. One incredible trait that they all share is the ability to facilitate anti-aging to promote a more youthful glow.
Walnuts have many healthy essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These properties help strengthen and lengthen hair follicles and target harmful free radicals, which have been shown to damage the skin.
Pine nuts contain anti-aging minerals and vitamin E that work to maintain healthy and youthful skin by slowing down the aging process.
Sesame seeds are rich in antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and proteins that protect the body by reducing cell damage and regulating cholesterol levels.
Cinnamon is an excellent source of calcium and magnesium, which are important for maintaining bone density and promoting skeletal health. This ingredient has also been found to protect the skin from free radical damage and possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
____________________________________________________________________________
Powdered Nut Blend
Ingredients:
8 tbsp of walnuts
8 tbsp of pine nuts
8 tbsp of black sesame seeds
1 tbsp of pre-ground Vietnamese or Ceylon cinnamon
Directions:
Combine walnuts, pine nuts, black sesame seeds, and pre-ground cinnamon into a pan and toast lightly until aromatic.
Grind or pound the ingredients to make a powdered mixture. Feel free to use a food processor to blend your ingredients as well.
Transfer the mixture to a sealed container and place it in the refrigerator or freezer for future uses.
This nut blend is versatile and may be used for any recipe. We have provided a recipe we recommend down below!
Anti-Aging Oatmeal
Ingredients:
1 cup of hot cooked oatmeal of choice
2 tbsp of the powdered nut blend (adjust to taste)
Optional: Honey or agave to taste
Directions:
Combine above ingredients and add honey to taste, if desired.
Add toppings of your choice.
Serve and enjoy!
__________________________________________________________________________________
References:
Chauhan, A., & Chauhan, V. (2020). Beneficial Effects of Walnuts on Cognition and Brain Health. Nutrients, 12(2), 550. PMC. 10.3390/nu12020550
Kawatra, P., & Rajagopalan, R. (2015). Cinnamon: Mystic powers of a minute ingredient. Pharmacognosy Res., 7. PMC. 10.4103/0974-8490.157990
Takala, R., Ramji, D., & Choy, E. (2023, Jan). The Beneficial Effects of Pine Nuts and Its Major Fatty Acid, Pinolenic Acid, on Inflammation and Metabolic Perturbations in Inflammatory Disorders. Int J Mol Sci, 24(2). 10.3390/ijms24021171
Wei, P., Zhao, F., Wang, Z., Wang, Q., Chai, X., Hou, G., & Meng, Q. (2022, Oct). Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.): A Comprehensive Review of Nutritional Value, Phytochemical Composition, Health Benefits, Development of Food, and Industrial Applications (A. Matkowski, Ed.). Nutrients, 14(19). PMC. 10.3390/nu14194079
Schagen, S. K., Zampeli, V. A., Makrantonaki, E., & Zouboulis, C. C. (2012). Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermato-Endocrinology, 4(3), 298–307. https://doi.org/10.4161/derm.22876