Want to Improve Your Critical Thinking? Eat Walnuts

What did you have for breakfast?  If it was a Banana Walnut muffin, then you’ve already started your day with a critical thinking boost!

That’s right, according to researchers, during an 8 week study, they found that participants who ate walnuts scored higher in critical thinking and “inferential reasoning” (using the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal assessment as the measure of critical thinking skills):

“Inferential reasoning is the ability to infer truth from other known truth and it is also the ability to deduce information based on prior experience and context. It’s sometimes thought that there are two fundamental types of reasoning. So dramatically improving one is an enormous step in the right direction, and it’s nice that it can be done by an easy dietary addition.”

So, how many walnuts do you need to eat?  Well, in this study, participants ate a half a cup of walnuts each day for 8 weeks.  At the end of those 8 weeks, they showed an 11.2% increase in inferential reasoning.

Who couldn’t use an 11.2% increase in cognitive ability each day?  For students, that could mean the difference between getting a B or an A in a class.  At work, that could mean the difference between a pat on the back or a promotion!

But can eating walnuts make you a critical thinker?  Peter Pribis, who led the study, says no.

“Walnuts will obviously not make you a critical thinker; this comes after years of studying. However, students and young professionals in fields that involve a great deal of critical thinking or decision-making could benefit from regularly eating walnuts.”

So building a foundation of critical thinking skills will still take work.  Perhaps Pearson TalentLens should provide Banana Walnut muffins to participants in their 2- day Critical Thinking Boot Camp training program to maximize brain functioning!

Are you going to crack open some walnuts today?