Almonds vs Walnuts: Which Is Less Inflammatory?
Almonds
Walnuts
Walnuts are less inflammatory than almonds, and there is barely anything in it. Both are among the best things you can eat by the handful, so the real win is picking either one over a biscuit.
Walnuts get their edge from omega-3, which no other common nut supplies in that quantity. Almonds answer with vitamin E, the densest everyday source of it, and much of their fat stays locked inside the nut, so fewer calories reach you than the label suggests. The simplest move is to stop choosing. Mix the two in one jar, keep the skins on, buy them unsalted, and take a small handful a day.
Side by side
| Almonds | Walnuts | |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammation Score | Low · 2/10 | Low · 1/10 |
| Category | Nuts & Seeds | Nuts & Seeds |
| Serving size | 1 small handful (28 g, about 23 nuts) | 1 small handful (28 g, about 14 halves) |
| Key nutrients | Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), Proanthocyanidins (in the skin), Magnesium, Riboflavin (B2) | Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), Ellagitannins (in the skin), Gamma-tocopherol, Copper |
| How often | Daily, one small handful, plain and unblanched | Daily, one small handful, raw and with the skins on |
On the AIP diet
Almonds
Almonds come out during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol, along with every other nut and seed. Almond flour and almond butter go with them, which is what makes AIP baking awkward at first: coconut flour and cassava flour take over. Almonds usually come back in the first rounds of reintroduction, and a few plain ones with the skins on make a clean test.
Walnuts
Walnuts are out during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol. So is every other nut and seed, and walnut oil with them. This is one of the harder cuts for anyone who lives on salads and pesto, where walnuts do the work of both crunch and fat. Nuts return early in the reintroduction, and a walnut is easy to trial because you eat it on its own.
What each one brings
Almonds
- Much of the fat stays locked inside the nut, so fewer calories reach you than the label says
- The densest everyday source of vitamin E, the antioxidant that protects your cell membranes
- The brown skin holds the plant compounds, so unblanched almonds beat pale ones
- A daily handful for six weeks moved inflammation markers, with no weight lost
Walnuts
- Carries more plant omega-3 than any other common nut
- The bitter papery skin is where the plant compounds sit, so leave it on
- Your gut bacteria turn those compounds into a form the body can use
- Walnut-rich diets brought down triglycerides and cholesterol in pooled trials
Watch out for
Almonds
- Ground into flour or butter the cells are already broken, so more of the fat comes out
- One of the most common tree nut allergies, and a severe one
- Honey roasted, salted or chocolate coated almonds are a sweet, not a nut
- Easy to eat half a bag without noticing, at 160 calories a handful
Walnuts
- The fragile fat spoils fast, and a sharp, sour taste means the nut is past it
- Sugar glazed and candied walnuts belong with dessert, not with a handful of nuts
- Tree nut allergy is common and can be severe
- Around 185 calories in a handful, so a bag goes down quickly
Get the inflammation score of any meal
Just snap a photo or describe your food to get its inflammation score and uncover hidden patterns that may be affecting your well-being.
