Nutritious and delicious Walnuts nutrition are a favorite healthy and healthy snack, baking ingredient or garnish for desserts and salads. Since ancient times, legends have been made about its taste and benefits, and today nutritionists consider it their duty to mention its positive effect on health and include Walnuts Nutrition Facts in the lists of the most valuable foods available to humans.
Today we reveal useful secrets, voice interesting facts and share the intricacies of selection and storage, as well as the best ways to enjoy walnuts.
Interesting facts about walnuts
It turns out that even in Ancient Babylon, the priests guessed about the beneficial effect of walnuts on the brain – they forbade commoners to eat them so that they would not become too smart. Some researchers believe that the walnut was the oldest cultivated plant and for many millennia mankind has been eating its fruits.
Be that as it may, in the Caucasus to this day, the walnut tree is revered as sacred – it is there that you can find individual specimens over 4 centuries old. And the inhabitants of Central Asia are sure that the walnut tree never blooms.
By the way, walnuts have nothing to do with Greece. In Russia, they began to be called that only because they were imported by Greek merchants. In fact, the homeland of this nut is Asia.
Beneficial features
The health benefits of Walnuts are undeniable. Their high content of healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals make these nuts a delicious and natural cure for many diseases.
Walnuts are a valuable source of alpha-linoleic acid, ALA. Several recent studies have shown that frequent, regular consumption of this beneficial fatty acid can help reduce the risk of heart disease and strengthen bones. Just 0.25 cups of walnuts a day will provide you with your daily requirement for this fatty acid.
Also, walnuts are the best friends of athletes. They contain the amino acid arginine, which causes blood vessels to dilate, thus improving blood flow to the muscles.
Most of all, walnuts contain vitamin E: for women, it helps to maintain the beauty of skin, hair and nails, and for men it protects against prostate cancer.
By the way, it is not in vain that many people compare the walnut with the cerebral hemispheres. Scientists have found that due to the presence of a large amount of bioactive substances and lecithin, walnuts strengthen memory well, relieve nervous tension and activate the brain.
Walnuts are also useful for the thyroid gland. Due to the high iodine content, regular consumption of these nuts will be an excellent prevention of thyroid diseases. And traditional healers suggest making a decoction of walnut partitions, which can be used directly to treat this ailment.
In addition, walnuts provide the body with manganese and copper, minerals that actively fight free radicals that cause premature aging.
Walnut oil
Fine oil with a rich taste and aroma is squeezed out of ground walnuts. For culinary purposes, it is actively used in the preparation of Georgian and French cuisine. We can say that with this oil any dish will sparkle with new colors.
Speaking of the benefits of walnut oil, it should be mentioned that it is very rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, copper and manganese. It is used both as an auxiliary external agent for the treatment of skin diseases, and as a medicine for the prevention of inflammatory diseases.
Walnut oil is also widely used in cosmetology – it is suitable for any type of skin, perfectly moisturizes and makes it silky. This oil is especially recommended for owners of sensitive and irritating skin.
How to choose and store walnuts correctly
Walnuts are sold both in shell and peeled. When buying shelled walnuts, remember that dark-skinned nuts are less valuable than light-skinned ones. If possible, make sure they don’t smell like rancid oil. Of course, peeled nuts are a completely ready-to-eat product, but their shelf life will be much shorter than that of inshell nuts.
If you decide to opt for unpeeled nuts, choose those that seem heavier in weight than you would expect from their size. There should be no cracks, spots or holes on the shell – this may indicate the presence of pests.
Speaking of storage, we note that due to the high content of fatty acids, walnuts can quickly deteriorate if stored improperly. Inshell nuts should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Peeled nuts can be stored in a dry, dark and cool place for up to 6 months.
The use of walnuts in cooking
Walnuts are a fairly versatile ingredient used in both sweet and savory dishes. A handful of chopped nuts will brighten any dessert, add zest to the salad and make your protein shake more satisfying. However, it should be remembered that any nuts are quite high-calorie foods, and experts consider the recommended daily allowance to be 20 halves of nuts a day.
To reveal the taste, it is recommended to fry walnuts in a pan or in the oven – preheat the oven to 180 degrees and fry them for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5 delicious ways to eat more walnuts a day
- Eat them for Breakfast. Stir crushed walnuts into your morning yogurt, smoothie, or porridge. Honey will be an excellent company for them.
- Add them to side dishes. Sprinkle chopped nuts on diet ice cream, fried vegetables, and salads. Add them to cooked rice, couscous, or chicken.
- Add them to your cocktail. Mix 1 frozen medium banana with 1 cup vanilla yogurt, add 0.25 cups of nuts and blend in a blender.
- Eat them as a snack. When you are tired of pistachios, try a nut cocktail instead of chips and cookies while watching a game of your favorite team .
- 5. Make a nut dip. Grind and mix in a blender 1 cup walnuts with 0.5 cup low fat yogurt, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Use a sauce instead of greasy dips or salad dressings.
