Walnuts

Walnuts are a delicious way to add extra nutrition, flavour and crunch to a meal. While walnuts are harvested in December, they are available year round and a great source of those all-important omega-3 fatty acids.

It is no surprise that the regal and delicious walnut comes from an ornamental tree that is highly prized for its beauty. The walnut kernel consists of two bumpy lobes that look like abstract butterflies. The lobes are off white in colour and covered by a thin, light brown skin. They are partially attached to each other. The kernels are enclosed in round or oblong shells that are brown in color and very hard.

Types of Walnuts

While there are numerous species of walnut trees, three of the main types of walnuts consumed are the English (or Persian) walnut, Juglans regia; the black walnut, Juglans nigra; and the white (or butternut) walnut, Juglans cinerea. The English walnut is the most popular type in the United States and features a thinner shell that is easily broken with a nutcracker. The black walnut has thicker shells that are harder to crack and a much more pungent distinctive flavour. The white walnut features a sweeter and oilier taste than the other two types, although it is not as widely available and therefore may be more difficult to find in the marketplace. Within these basic types of walnuts, there are dozens of different varieties (also called cultivars). It's not uncommon to see research studies that evaluate several dozen different cultivars of English or black walnuts. All types and varieties of walnuts can have unique nutrient composition. Sometimes within a particular type of walnut - for example, English walnut - there is a surprising amount of nutritional variety. The bottom line here is to not to get caught up in thinking that one main type of walnut (for example, English versus black) is best, but to take advantage of the nutritional variety offered by walnuts overall.

How to eat Walnuts

In whatever style you decide to prepare and eat walnuts, it's worth including the skin. Some people may not even notice that there is a walnut skin. But that whitish, sometimes waxy, sometimes flaky, outermost part of the walnut (once it has been shelled) is the skin. Researchers now know that approximately 90% of the phenols in walnuts are found in the skin, including key phenolic acids, tannins, and flavonoids. The list of health supportive compounds in these three phenol families is a large one, and it continues to grow as researchers learn more and more about this amazing tree nut. Some websites will encourage you to remove the walnut skin and will usually cite its slight bitterness as their reason for doing so. We encourage you not to remove this phenol-rich portion.

Preparing walnuts can be quite simple! Just chop and serve on your favourite salad, vegetable dish, fruit, or dessert.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas

•             Mix crushed walnuts into plain yogurt and top with maple syrup.

•             Add walnuts to salads or healthy sautéed vegetables.

•             Purée walnuts, cooked lentils and your favourite herbs and spices in a food processor. Add enough olive or flax oil so that it achieves a dip-like consistency.

•             Add walnuts to your favourite poultry stuffing recipe.

•             To roast walnuts at home, do so gently—in a 160-170°F (about 75°C) oven for 15-20 minutes—to preserve the healthy oils.

•             Make homemade walnut granola: Mix together approximately 1/2 cup of honey, 3 to 4 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses, a tablespoon of vanilla, a dash of salt, and a teaspoon each of your favourite spices, such as cinnamon, ginger and/or nutmeg. Place 6-8 cups of rolled oats in a large bowl and toss to coat with the honey-blackstrap mixture. Then spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 275°F (135°C) for 45 minutes. Cool and mix in 1/2 to 1 cup of walnuts.

How to pickle Walnuts

For the Brine: Boil the water and pour in the salt. Stir well to dissolve and cool before using. Wearing rubber gloves, prick the walnuts

All over with a thin skewer or metal knitting needle, put them into a bowl and cover with brine.

Put a plate on top of the walnuts to keep them under the surface and leave 5-6 days in a cool place.

Drain, cover again with fresh brine and leave for another week. Drain well, spread on a tray and leave in a warm room or, better still in the sun. Turn them occasionally and leave for 2-3 days or until they turn black. Pack your walnuts in clean, dry jars, then cover them with spiced vinegar, seal the jars immediately and leave for 7 -8 weeks, in a cool dry place before eating.

Nutritional Facts

Walnuts are an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids, in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Walnuts are also rich in antioxidants, including being a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper. Many other minerals are provided by walnuts in valuable amounts. These minerals include calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vanadium and zinc. Vitamin B6, while not especially concentrated in walnuts, may be more bioavailable in this food. In terms of phytonutrients, walnuts contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, including more than a dozen phenolic acids, numerous tannins (especially ellagitannins, including tellimagrandins), and a wide variety of flavonoids. The vitamin E composition of walnuts is also of special mention, since there is an unusual concentration of the gamma-tocopherol form of vitamin E in this tree nut.

History

While walnut trees have been cultivated for thousands of years, the different types have varying origins. The English walnut originated in India and the regions surrounding the Caspian Sea, hence it is known as the Persian walnut. In the 4th century AD, the ancient Romans introduced the walnut into many European countries where it has been grown since. Throughout its history, the walnut tree has been highly revered; not only does it have a life span that is several times that of humans, but its uses include food, medicine, shelter, dye and lamp oil. It is thought that the walnuts grown in North America gained the moniker "English walnuts," since they were introduced into America via English merchant ships.

Black walnuts and white walnuts are native to North America, specifically the Central Mississippi Valley and Appalachian area. They played an important role in the diets and lifestyles of both the Native American Indians and the early colonial settlers.

China is presently the largest commercial producer of walnuts in the world, with about 360,000 metric tons produced per year. The United States is second, with about 294,000 metric tons of production. Within the U.S., about 90% of all walnuts are grown in California, particularly within the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys the annual combined walnut output of Iran and Turkey is approximately the same as the United States, and the Ukraine and Romania are next in line in terms of total walnut production.