walnut

A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus Juglans, particularly the Persian or English walnut, Juglans regia. The fruits of trees in the family Juglandaceae, native to North and South America, southern Europe, Asia, and the West Indies are often confused with drupes. Still, they are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an involucre and thus not morphologically part of the carpel; this means it cannot be a drupe but is instead a drupe-like nut.

Walnut trees have long compound leaves with 5 to 23 short-stalked leaflets.

Walnut meats are available in two forms: in their shells or de-shelled. Due to processing, the meats may be whole, halved, or in smaller portions. All walnuts can be eaten on their own (raw, toasted, or pickled), or as part of a mix such as muesli, or as an ingredient of a dish: e.g. walnut soup, walnut pie, walnut coffee cake, banana cake, brownie, fudge. Walnuts are often candied or pickled. Pickled walnuts that are the whole fruit can be savory or sweet depending on the preserving solution.

Walnuts may be used as an ingredient in other foodstuffs. Walnut is an important ingredient in baklava, Circassian chicken, chicken in walnut sauce, tarator a summer soup in Bulgarian cuisine, and poultry or meat ball stew from Iranian cuisine.

Walnuts are also popular as an ice cream topping, and walnut pieces are used as a garnish on some foods. Nocino is a liqueur made from unripe green walnuts steeped in alcohol with syrup added. Walnut oil is available commercially and is chiefly used as a food ingredient, particularly in salad dressings. It has a low smoke point, which limit s its use for frying.

• Loaded with nutrients

            Walnuts are made up of 65% fat and about 15% of protein. They’re low in carbs — most of which consist of fiber. A 1-ounce (30-gram) serving of walnuts — about 14 halves — provides the following nutrients:

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Benefits of Walnut

Walnuts are nutrient-dense, containing omega-3 fats, antioxidants, and other compounds that may help protect against brain decline, heart disease, and cancer. Here are science-based health benefits of walnuts.

• Rich in antioxidants. Walnuts are an excellent source of antioxidants that can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol level.
• Super plant source of omega-3s. Walnuts are a good source of the plant form of omega-3 fat, which may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and conditions.
• May decrease inflammation. Several plant compounds and nutrients in walnuts may help decrease inflammation, which is a key culprit in many chronic conditions.
• Promote a healthy gut. Eating walnuts nourishes both you and the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut. This promotes gut health and may help reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, and cancer.
• May reduce risk of some cancers. The polyphenols in walnuts may reduce your risk of certain cancers, including breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
• Support weight management. Though walnuts are calorie-dense, you may not absorb all the calories they contain. Additionally, they may help regulate your appetite.
• May help manage and lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Consuming walnut oil and walnuts may help manage type 2 diabetes and reduce your risk of the disease by helping to regulate your weight. Walnuts might have more direct effects on blood sugar regulation as well.
• May help lower blood pressure. Some studies suggest that eating nuts, including walnuts, daily as part of a heart-healthy diet may help improve blood pressure.
• Support healthy aging. A healthy diet that includes walnuts may help preserve physical function, such as walking and self-care abilities, as you age.
• Support good brain function. Walnuts contain nutrients that may help protect your brain from damaging inflammation and support good brain function as you age.
• Support reproductive health in people with sperm. Eating walnuts regularly may help counteract potentially harmful effects of less-than-ideal eating habits on sperm health.
• Improve blood fat levels. A daily 1.5-oz (43-g) serving of walnuts may help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which contribute to heart disease risk.
• Widely available and easy to add to your diet. Walnuts are easy to add to your diet since they’re widely available in stores and a great addition to countless dishes. Just be wary of any nut allergies.

Though it’s simplest to eat walnuts one by one as a snack, there are plenty of tasty ways to use them in dishes. You can try it:

- sprinkled on leafy green or fruit salads.

- finely ground in dips and sauces.

- chopped and used in whole grain breads and scones.

- crushed to use as a coating on fish or chicken.

- served atop oatmeal or yogurt.

- chopped and added to wraps or pita sandwiches.

- roasted and added to a homemade trail mix.

- lightly browned in your favorite stir-fry recipe.

- roasted or chopped on pasta or vegetables.

- as an oil in a vinaigrette dressing.