BizAims

One of the most unexpected nutritional discoveries of the 1990s was that the frequent eating of nuts appears to dramatically improve health. In particular, nut eating greatly lowers the risk of heart disease. In 1992 researchers working on the Adventist Health Study at Loma Linda University in California reported that those eating nuts daily had up to 60% fewer heart attacks than those who ate nuts less than once per month. The beneficial effect of nut consumption was found for men, women, vegetarians, meat-eaters, fatter people, thinner people, the old, the young, those who did much exercise and those who did little exercise.

While many believe walnuts first grew in Persia, excavations in southwest France have revealed petrified shells of walnuts roasted during the Neolithic period, more than 8,000 years ago. The very name of the walnut tree and its nut originated with the Romans. The Romans called walnuts Juglans regia, “Jupiter’s royal acorn.” Walnuts have been discovered in prehistoric deposits in Europe dating from the Iron Age.

The first commercial walnut plantings began in 1867 when Joseph Sexton, an orchardist and nurseryman in the Santa Barbara County town of Goleta planted English walnuts. For several years, walnuts were predominantly planted in the southern areas of California, accounting for 65% of all bearing acreage.

In addition to the cardiac benefits of consuming nuts, the risks of having a stroke, of developing type 2 diabetes, of developing dementia, of advanced macular degeneration and of gallstones have all been found to be lowered by eating nuts. Calculations suggest that daily nut eaters gain an extra five to six years of life free of coronary disease and that regular nut eating appears to increase longevity by about 2 years. The studies above suggest that 30 to 60 grams (1-2oz) of nuts should be consumed daily to gain the maximum benefits seen.

Nuts are of course a fatty food and many might worry that they will put on weight by eating more nuts. After all, 30 grams (or one ounce) of most nuts contain about 800 kilojoules (200 kilocalories). Happily though, on present evidence, nuts do not seem to cause weight gain. There is just one note of warning though. British and American surveys suggest that between one in one hundred and one in two hundred people may be allergic to one or more types of nuts. Both children and adults can be affected and the most common symptoms seem to be skin rashes and hoarseness in the throat. For the large majority of the population though, an increase in nut consumption would appear to be desirable and "regular nut consumption can be recommended as a replacement for consumption of refined grain products or red or processed meats".

The nuts of all the species are edible, but the walnuts commonly available in shops are from the Persian Walnut, the only species which has a large nut and thin shell. The nuts are rich in oil, and are widely eaten both fresh and in cookery. Walnut oil is expensive and consequently is used sparingly; most often in salad dressing. Walnuts are also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, and have been shown as helpful in lowering cholesterol. They need to be kept dry and refrigerated to store well; in warm conditions they become rancid in a few weeks, particularly after shelling. Oil paint often employs walnut oil as an effective binding medium, known for its clear, glossy consistency and non-toxicity. Flour made from walnut shells is widely used in the plastics industry.

In some countries immature nuts in their husks are preserved in vinegar. In England these are called "pickled walnuts" and this is one of the major uses for fresh nuts from the small scale plantings. In Armenian cuisine, walnuts are preserved in sugar syrup and eaten whole. In Italy, liqueurs called Nocino and Nocello are flavored with walnuts. In Georgia, walnuts are ground along with other ingredients to make walnut sauce. Walnuts are heavily used in India. In Jammu, India it is used widely as a prasad (offering) to Mother Goddess Vaisnav Devi and, generally, as a dry food in the season of festivals such as Diwali.

Walnut husks are often used to create a rich yellow-brown to dark brown dye that is used for dyeing fabric and for other purposes. When picking walnuts, the husks should be handled wearing rubber gloves, to avoid dyeing one's fingers.

The Persian Walnut, and the Black Walnut and its allies, are important for their attractive timber, which is hard, dense, tight-grained and polishes to a very smooth finish. The color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate colour in the heartwood. When kiln-dried, walnut wood tends toward a dull brown colour, but when air-dried can become a rich purplish-brown. Because of its colour, hardness and grain it is prized furniture and carving wood.

A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that eating walnuts after a meal high in unhealthy fats can reduce the damaging effects of such fats on blood vessels. Researchers from Barcelona's Hospital Clinic conducted a study on 24 adult participants, half of whom had normal cholesterol levels, and half of whom had moderately high levels of cholesterol. Each group was fed two high-fat meals of salami and cheese, eaten one week apart. During one meal, the researchers supplemented the food with five teaspoons of olive oil. The researcher added eight shelled walnuts to the other meal, the following week.

Tests after each meal showed that both the olive oil and the walnuts helped reduce the onset of dangerous inflammation and oxidation in the arteries after the meals, which were high in saturated fat. However, unlike the olive oil, the walnuts also helped the arteries maintain their elasticity and flexibility, even in the participants with higher cholesterol.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, walnut seeds are primarily considered a kidney tonic. They are also considered beneficial to the brain, back, and skin, and to relieve constipation if it is caused by dehydration.

Walnuts are a high-energy food, rich in oil, vitamins and minerals. Walnut kernels are good for heart, blood system and improve health. Benefits of walnut eating have been observed in the form of lowering cholesterol. Walnuts used in a variety of sweet and savoury recipes including cakes and breads and are especially good with cheeses. Walnuts used in Cuba as an herb decoction in bath water to treat various skin diseases of children. Walnut contains rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin E and fatty acids, Walnut Oil is a most often used in cosmetic formulations as an active principal or carrier oil. Walnut Oil is a good source of Omerga-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, as well as ALA (alpha linolenic acid). It has good moisturizing, anti-aging and regenerative properties.

Walnut shells are composed of two halves. The space between the two halves is called the shell seal. Shell seal strength varies by variety, but most are very tightly sealed to protect the nut from moisture and pests. A tight shell seal does a good job of protecting the nut, but it makes getting to the walnut meat a bit challenging. Once you break open a walnut you’ll discover a hard fibrous membrane lining the inside of the shell and running between the two halves of the nut. You need to remove this before eating. You’ll also notice that the walnut itself is covered by a thin skin called the pellicle. The pellicle is edible, but if you prefer your walnuts “naked”, you can blanch them in rapidly boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds and rinse under cold water. The pellicle should then slip off quite easily. The pellicle contains tannins, the same compounds found in red wine that are associated with promoting heart health. The darker the pellicle, the more tannins it contains.

All walnuts must meet or exceed the standards set by the USDA for in shell and shelled walnut kernels as outlined in the Federal Walnut Marketing Order. The DFA of California certifies all outbound walnut shipments of both in shell or shelled walnut kernels to meet USDA standards. This is your assurance that California walnuts are the world’s finest! California walnuts are produced in a wide range of sizes, color grades and combinations of sizes and colors to meet the specifications of walnut buyers for industrial, foodservice and retail customers. Consumers can find in shell walnuts as well as walnut halves, halves and pieces and chopped walnuts in supermarkets and club stores across the country.

Walnuts are also known for their high antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help offset the effects of oxidation, a process that is constantly occurring in the body. The human body is equipped to deal with a certain level of oxidation. Naturally occurring antioxidant enzymes work to protect our cells and our DNA from oxidative damage. Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s natural defenses can’t keep up with oxidative damage. Daily events like breathing, eating, being exposed to cigarette smoke or pollution, and over-exposure to sunlight can all create oxidative stress. Some researchers believe that oxidative stress may contribute to cancer risk. One way to possible combat oxidative stress is to eat more antioxidant-rich foods, like walnuts.

Although nuts are known to provide a variety of cardio-protective benefits, many avoid them for fear of weight gain. A prospective study published in the journal Obesity shows such fears are groundless. In fact, people who eat nuts at least twice a week are much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never eat nuts.

The following table shows the nutrient values per 100gr. Walnuts.