Walnuts benefit and harm, cleaning methods, how much to eat per day

Walnuts benefit and harm, cleaning methods, how much to eat per day, recipes with walnuts are always topical requests. I ask about this most often when it comes to the beloved king's nut. In honor of Walnut Day, which is celebrated on May 17, we decided to collect in one article information about the benefits of walnuts, recipes and answers to the most popular questions from our readers.

Walnuts, benefits and harms - we will talk about this a little later, but first we will talk about Walnut Day, where this handsome man with such a recognizable shape of nucleoli came from and why the nut loved by many is called walnut and royal.

When is Walnut Day?

In June 1949, it was proposed in the United States to celebrate National Walnut Day annually. This was done to popularize the king's nut. And on March 3, 1958, 34th President Dwight David Eisenhower issued an official statement that this day is now fixed for May 17, then the celebration of the first National Walnut Day took place.

Walnut, where did its name come from in English and Russian?

Walnut in English - walnut , the word comes from Old English wealhhnutu , literally "foreign nut" ( from wealh "foreign" + hnutu "nut" ), since it was brought to England from Gaul and Italy. The Latin name for the walnut was nux , meaning "gallic nut".

The Russian name is also associated with the origin of walnuts. Pavel Syutkin, a historian of culinary and Russian cuisine, writes: “In Russia, acquaintance with walnuts occurs, apparently, in the XII-XIII centuries, when close contacts were established with Byzantium. It is from there that nuts come to us, but they are called "Greek". Then many products and objects coming from this part of the world are called exactly "Greek", for example, buckwheat, known to all (according to one of the versions of the origin of this word). "

Where do walnuts come from? From Greece?

Walnuts, according to one of the most common versions, originated in Northern India. In the middle of the 15th century. Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, fell under the onslaught of the Turkish Sultan. Pavel Syutkin: “Trade relations with Russia were interrupted for a long time. Approximately in the XVI-XVII centuries, their new name appears in Russia: "Voloshsky nuts". These are the same walnuts, only brought to us from Wallachia (the south of modern Romania). "

In the dictionary of Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl we meet: “Walnut is a masculine gender, a tree fruit in a hard, strong shell. Sometimes they say instead of hazel and hazel, walnut or hazel tree, meaning Volosh, walnut.

Now, as promised, let's talk about the benefits and dangers of walnuts.

Walnuts, benefits and harms. And detail?

In terms of calorie content and protein content, walnuts are comparable to meat, only they are easier to digest. In terms of the amount of vitamins, citrus fruits are superior. They are recommended for vitamin deficiency, iron deficiency, as a general tonic; they have a positive effect on the blood vessels of the brain and relieve nervous tension.

The benefits of walnuts

• Improving memory. Nuts contain essential omega-3 and 6 fatty acids that help improve memory and cognitive function.
• Preventing depression. Studies have shown that low levels of omega-3s can damage your alertness and vitality. Because walnuts are high in omega-3s, they help prevent depression.
• Improving motor function. Omega-3 fatty acids that work wonders for the brain, including improving motor function.
• Prevention of heart disease. Studies in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and Israel have concluded that two to three servings of walnuts a day lowers cholesterol enough to lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Improving "masculinity". A handful of walnuts eaten every day increases sperm vitality and motility.
• Support for skin beauty. Eating walnuts helps your skin look younger - healthier and more elastic. Thanks to vitamin E. By the way, walnut oil is a valuable cosmetic product for reducing dry skin.
• Walnuts are a source of biotin (vitamin B7) to help keep hair and nails healthy and prevent hair loss and brittle nails. Vitamin E gives hair and nails a healthy shine.
• Help with weight management. Walnuts are high in fiber, protein and fat, which can help you feel fuller for longer.
• An extra boost of energy. Walnuts contain a lot of B vitamins (B1 - 0.39 mg, B5 - 0.82 mg, B6 - 0.8 mg, etc.). They are capable of increasing the amount of energy in the body. This is definitely in line with the weight management factor. When you are full of energy, you are more likely to start moving actively and burn calories! Try eating walnuts with natural yogurt regularly as an afternoon snack or as a pre-workout snack.

The harm of walnuts

The harm of walnuts is probably not quite the correct wording. There are some restrictions on the consumption of walnuts - more precisely. Walnuts are high in calories, so excessive consumption can lead to slight weight gain. In some people, high consumption of walnuts may be associated with diarrhea due to the high oil content of walnuts. Below we will just tell you how many walnuts you need to eat per day so that there are no problems.

Walnuts, like other types of nuts, can cause food allergies. Now nut allergy is diagnosed in about 2% of the world's population.

Walnuts, the healthiest nuts?

A very possible statement! Walnuts contain the highest content of antioxidants in comparison with other types of nuts (about 2 times). Sure, they are very nutritious, but king nuts are much healthier than peanuts, almonds or pistachios.

In a study by American scientists, it is said that the antioxidants in walnuts have an effect 2-15 times stronger than vitamin E. Meanwhile, it is known that this vitamin protects the cells of the human body from damage by natural chemicals that cause various diseases.

Walnuts, why do some people soak their kernels before eating?

Fresh nuts are difficult for some people to chew. Soaking walnuts in water for 1-2 hours softens them without losing their nutritional value!

Also, walnuts are soaked in warm water to remove the thin brown skin afterwards. This is often done when preparing a cream, sauce, mousse or soufflé - something very tender and smooth. Pieces of skin are not needed in such dishes.

Soaking walnuts helps lower bad cholesterol levels in the body and are easier to digest than dry ones. To do this, simply soak 2-4 walnut kernels overnight in 1 glass of water and eat before breakfast in the morning.

Walnuts, BJU, content of calories, vitamins and microelements

100 g of raw walnuts contain:

• proteins - 15.2 g
• fat - 65.2 g
• carbohydrates - 13.7 g
• water - 4.07 g
• calories - 654 kcal and 2740 kJ
• fiber - 6.7 g
• sugar - 2.61 g
• calcium - 98 mg
• iron - 2.91 mg
• magnesium - 158 mg
• phosphorus - 346 mg
• potassium - 441 mg
• biotin - 2.6 mg
• vitamin E - 2.6 mg

1 serving (28 g) of walnuts contains: 2.6 g omega-3 and 10.8 g omega-6.

Walnuts, how many cleaning methods are there?

We know 7 methods of cleaning, among them there is one - the most proven. This is the purchase of already peeled walnuts! Not only do you not need to peel the nuts, you also immediately see the nut kernels, and you can evaluate the quality of the product. And what a saving of time and effort!

The other 6 ways to peel walnuts:

• the "door hinge" method is an adventurous method, but most often the most reliable,
• hammer blow; for him, do not forget to soak walnuts in warm water for a couple of hours to soften the shell a little,
• the bare hand method, which is most suitable for strong and resilient hands; for him, two walnuts need to be pressed together and squeezed,
• using a sharp knife is a dangerous way to peel walnuts; suitable for experienced and dexterous, contraindicated in children,
• the use of various gadgets and gadgets, including a screw press like the Nutcracker,
• freezing is the most original of all methods of peeling walnuts.

Let's talk about the last cleaning method in more detail. The use of a freezer to crack walnuts is due to the properties of water, which expands when frozen. Place the walnuts in a freezer-fit ziplock bag and close tightly. Place the sealed bag in the freezer for a few hours. The water contained in the nuts and their shells freezes, expands and ... the walnut shells crack.

This method is good for baked walnuts. Nuts become slightly soft when frozen.