Black Walnuts Health Benefits – Medically Reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R.D., L.D., ACSM EP-C – Posted by Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA on March 5, 2019
People use black walnuts in cooking because of their excellent taste and crunch. Black walnuts also contain many anti-inflammatory compounds, which is why supplement manufacturers sell the extract as a pill.
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Black Walnuts Health Benefits
Black walnuts contain three main components that make them beneficial when consumed – antioxidants, polyunsaturated fats and phenolic compounds. Walnuts also contain a variety of other nutrients, including fiber, protein, melatonin, and folate, which is a type of B vitamin.
Nutritional Value Of Black Walnut For Edible
Whether people eat them in nut form or take them as a supplement, black walnuts have many potential health benefits. It is also important to consider possible shortcomings.
Nuts such as black walnuts are high in fatty acids and antioxidants that can help improve a person’s overall heart health.
According to the International Journal of Food Properties, a number of major studies have found a positive association between higher nut consumption and a lower risk of sudden cardiac death, heart attack and heart disease.
Black walnuts contain arginine, which is an amino acid. Arginine is converted into nitric acid in the body. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator, meaning it widens blood vessels. According to the International Journal of Food Properties, vasodilators can potentially lower blood pressure.
Black Walnut Tincture
The journal reports that black walnuts contain 3.62 grams (g) of arginine per 100 g of food. This is slightly more than English walnuts, which contain 2.28 g of arginine per 100 g of black walnuts.
Nuts contain phytosterols, or plant sterols. Phytosterols are beneficial for the body as they limit the absorption of cholesterol in the body. This effect can help lower a person’s cholesterol levels.
Black walnuts contain 37 milligrams (mg) more phytosterols than their English walnut counterparts, according to the International Journal of Food Properties.
Because doctors associate high cholesterol levels with an increased risk of heart disease, maintaining low cholesterol levels is essential for heart health.
Black Walnut: Medicinal Uses For Black Walnut Leaves And Husks
Black walnuts are rich in ellagitannins, which are a type of polyphenol. Ellagitannins are anti-inflammatory and fight against free radicals in the body.
According to the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, these compounds help prevent the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases in the body. Examples of these diseases include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
A study in the 2011 issue of Pharmaceutical Biology found that cancer cells exposed to walnut extracts in the laboratory were effective in preventing cancer cells from multiplying.
The researchers found that the compounds chloroform and ethyl acetate were particularly effective in preventing liver cancer cells from multiplying. Researchers have theorized that black walnut may have preventive and protective effects against liver cancer and some other types of cancer.
Black Walnut And What You Can Do With It
Black walnuts contain a lot of the compound y-tocopherol. Researchers have linked this nutrient to inhibition of tumor cell growth in prostate cancer cells, reports the International Journal of Food Properties.
While the researchers were unable to identify a specific dose or amount that has protective properties against prostate cancer, these compounds show promise as a method of reducing the risk of prostate cancer.
Some researchers believe that black walnuts have many more health benefits. However, scientists have not studied them in detail, so they cannot confirm their effectiveness.
Some people believe that topical black walnut pastes can treat skin conditions such as warts, psoriasis, and canker sores. However, researchers have not proven that these properties are true.
Health Benefits Of Black Walnut For Your Baby
Walnut shells are very thick and difficult for some people to crack. Shelled black walnuts are also available.
Supplement manufacturers also sell black walnut as a standalone supplement or include it with other herbs and fruits such as garlic, cranberries, and echinacea.
People should always consult their doctor before taking any new supplements. Always read package directions carefully to ensure safe consumption.
Doctors generally consider black walnuts to be safe when people eat them in small amounts or take them as a supplement in the short term.
In Season Now: Learn New Ways To Cook With Walnuts! — Edible La
Doctors don’t know the long-term effects of taking black walnut supplements. Additionally, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the dietary supplement industry, so be prudent when buying supplements and always buy from a reputable company.
Some people report allergies after eating black walnuts. Others report stomach irritation and irritation after taking black walnut supplements or eating nuts. Because doctors don’t know much about the side effects of consuming black walnut, they recommend that nursing mothers or pregnant women not take the supplement.
Black walnuts also contain substances called tannins, which can reduce the body’s ability to absorb other medications. Consequently, a person should not ingest or take black walnut supplements at the same time as conventional medications. Waiting 1 to 2 hours between taking the supplement and taking other medications is the best way to ensure that all medications will work effectively.
Black walnut is a natural food product that has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help fight disease. A person can include walnuts in their diet or choose a supplement that contains them.
Coral Black Walnut
However, always check with your doctor before taking any new supplement, as it is possible that taking black walnut affects how well the body absorbs certain medications.
Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link to primary sources—including studies, scientific references, and statistics—within each article, and we also list them in the sources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy. Today’s consumers are looking for food choices that are sustainable, tasty and nutritious. They are interested in where their food comes from and whether it is versatile enough to complement a multitude of recipes. When it comes to meeting consumer demand, Black Walnuts are perfectly positioned to meet all the latest shopping trends. Bold taste. A good source of protein. All natural. Gluten free. No GMOs. Sustainable. Handcrafted. The list goes on and on.
Offering black walnuts as part of your culinary nut line gives you the opportunity to increase sales by providing a product that perfectly matches the food profile that consumers are looking for. Home bakers and chefs add black walnuts to traditional foods such as bread, cakes, cookies, candies and other baked goods. Black walnuts can improve the flavor and nutritional profile of salads, yogurt, and oatmeal, or by using nuts as an ingredient in fish and chicken recipes. Toasted black walnuts are a delicious addition to trail mix for a healthy snack.
Add black walnuts to your produce or baking department this year with the handy 12-count 8-ounce Hammons Black Walnuts display in Large or Recipe Ready sizes along with many other sizes to best suit your customers’ needs. Last week, when you shared a bounty of a friend’s apple trees, I noticed a nearby black walnut (
Black Vs. English Walnuts
Growing up, our neighbor had a huge walnut tree that dropped hundreds of ripe nuts. I remember walking across that yard, crunching them under my feet while smelling the earth/citrus. This scent, forever associated with cooler temperatures, blue skies and crisp afternoons.
As I worked to restore balance in my body after being diagnosed with infertility, black walnuts became an important fertility food.
They contain the all-important vitamin E, and in addition, you can eat your daily requirement of omega-3 fatty acids in just 3 tablespoons.
When I trained as an herbalist, the tree took on another important role in my life. Black walnut has a long and well-deserved reputation for its healing properties. Its bark, roots, leaves, nuts and husks have been used at various times. Today, mainly black walnut leaves, nuts and husks are used.
Health Benefits Of Walnuts In Nigeria
The first question I get when a student goes out to pick walnuts on their own is, “What is a shell?” Another question is “When do I know it’s ready?”
The husk is the fleshy covering over the nut shell. Inside the shell is a nut (which is actually a seed).
Some herbalists recommend using the peel while it is still green, but most use it after it turns black and begins to disintegrate.
Harvesting the shell is a messy process. A walk under each nut will quickly yield an abundance of material. It is wise to wear gloves when collecting and preparing the medicine, as the bark yields a very effective black/brown dye.
Black Walnuts: A Love Story — No.mi Hunt|gather
If you pass by a walnut tree, be sure to stop and smell its characteristic autumn aroma. It offers much more than just a healthy and tasty nut.
Dawn is a wife, mother, farmer, writer, ethnobotanist, professional speaker and educator. She has over 20 years of ethnobotanical experience, is a certified herbalist and holds a B.A. botany and humanities/class. Dawn co-owns Mockingbird Meadows Farm. Her books are Conceiving Healthy Babies and Heal Local.
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