Scientists from Pennsylvania told the American Chemical Society that walnuts contain the highest level of antioxidants compared to other nuts.

Eating raw walnuts gives the full benefits of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to help protect the body against disease.

The researchers based their conclusion on analysis of antioxidants in nine different types of nuts: walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias and pecans.

Walnuts have a combination of more healthful antioxidants and higher quality antioxidants than any other nut, U.S. researchers have found.

They found that walnuts have the highest levels of antioxidants, with plenty of high-quality protein that can substitute for meat, vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber, and are dairy- and gluten-free.

Dr Joe Vinson, from the University of Scranton, analyzed the antioxidant levels of nine different types of nuts and discovered that a handful of walnuts contained twice as many antioxidants as a handful of any other commonly eaten nut.