Black walnut: benefits and harms to the human body

A plant called Black Walnut grows naturally in North America. The fruits of this tree have long been used for medicinal purposes. They have many medicinal properties. Even Indian tribes used the fruits of this tree to treat various ailments. At the moment, black walnut is considered one of the most beneficial among nuts. It can be used in cosmetology, medicine, and eaten.

Content:

• Description, composition and properties of walnut
• The benefits of walnuts and their use in medicine
• The use of black walnut in cooking
• Harm and contraindications
• How to choose and store black walnuts?

Description, composition and properties of walnut

The black walnut tree can grow to enormous heights (50 m). The nut is called black not because of the color of the fruit or kernel, but because of its powerful root systemwhich goes deep into the ground and is black. The wood is quite dense. The walnut itself also has a hard shell. The fruits are round, small, with a pointed end. Above there is a soft peel, and under it is a rather hard shell, which is very difficult to break even with a hammer. For this reason, people rarely use nuts in their cooking.

It is not so easy to get a large number of nuclei in everyday life; this requires special devices.

There is a lot of conflicting information about what is black walnut, the benefits or harms of its use. Many people think that walnut and black walnut are one and the same. However, these are different fruits of different trees, although they are close relatives.

Black walnut fruits are rich in composition:

1. Flavonoids. These are plant substances that enhance the action and production of various enzymes in the body. Flavonoids have a positive effect on the permeability of the vascular wall and its elasticity.
2. Juglandin. This substance has an anti-inflammatory effect and is also used in the elimination of parasites from the body.
3. Vitamins. The nut contains a huge amount of vitamin C, 50 times more than any citrus fruit, as well as vitamins A, E and B vitamins, mostly B1 and B6. All these vitamins are necessary for the normal functioning of internal organs and are absorbed better than in tablet form.
4. Organic iodine. Iodine has a positive effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland. It must be obtained from food in sufficient quantities. Lack of iodine leads to metabolic disorders.

The composition of the nut determines its beneficial qualities. However, it must be remembered that not all substances that are contained in a nut can be called useful. Use in medicinal whole should be moderate. The nut is quite high in calories. 100 g contains 618 kcal.

The benefits of walnuts and their use in medicine

For medical purposes, black walnut is used especially actively. Various tinctures, ointments, and medications are made on the basis of the nut. In folk medicine, not only the nut itself is used, but also the leaves of the walnut tree.

The black walnut fruit has the following beneficial properties:

• Anti-inflammatory. Black walnut has a pronounced antimicrobial and healing effect.It is taken orally for various infections or applied to wounds to avoid suppuration and inflammation.
• Anthelmintic. Black walnut not only helps to expel parasites, but also serves as a detox. It removes all waste products of worms and other toxic substances. Traditional medicine is rich in antihelminthic recipes based on black walnut.
• Sedative. Black walnut has a slight sedative effect without causing side effects such as drowsiness or fatigue.
• Antispasmodic. Black walnut is often recommended for headaches and vascular spasms. It has the ability to relieve spasms and dilate blood vessels, improving blood circulation.
• Pain reliever. Black walnut can be used both internally and externally. It is applied to various wounds and ulcers to relieve pain. Also, black walnut heals and enhances tissue regeneration.
• Immunostimulating. Due to the large amount of vitamin C, black walnut perfectly strengthens the immune system and activates it if necessary. It is recommended to be taken both for treatment and for the prevention of various viral diseases.

As a medicine, black walnut has been used for a long time. With its help, such serious diseases as furunculosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, venereal and gynecological diseases are treated.

It is believed that the juice of black walnut leaves is excellent at stopping blood. It is recommended even for uterine bleeding. Due to the iodine content, black walnut is recommended for people with thyroid diseases.

The use of black walnut in cooking

Black walnut is not very common in Russia. It is not so easy to grow it in our conditions. Practically no one grows the nut on an industrial scale, but its use in cooking remains relevant. This is due not only to its taste, but also to its great benefits. It is worth remembering that during frying or other heat treatment, some of the nutrients are lost. Therefore, in medicine, raw nuts or tinctures based on it are more often used.

The use of walnuts in cooking has several features:

• The nut can simply be eaten as a snack. The taste of the kernels is quite pleasant. They can be eaten both raw and fried.
• Black walnuts can be added to any recipe instead of walnuts. The taste of the dish will not be lost from this substitution.
• Jam is made from black walnut. But this requires unripe fruits. They are removed from the tree green, soaked in water and stored for a month, changing the water daily to fresh.
• Cooking black walnuts is not easy. To cook jam from it, you need to pierce each nut and cover it with slaked lime, and then soak it again. Only then can the nuts be cooked. But before you start cooking the jam, pour boiling water over the fruits several times.
• Black walnuts can be added to pie fillings, salads, meat dishes, sauces, mixed with various herbs and seasonings.
• Black walnuts need to be boiled and processed for a very long time. It has a rather dense rind that will not be easy to loosen. If we talk about using the nucleoli, then it is better to put them raw. So they will give more taste and benefit.

Nuts are very high in calories. Those who are on a diet should not consume them in large quantities. Nuts as a snack should be limited. They are high in fat. It is also believed that nuts increase appetite, so you want to eat more after them. Those who have problems with excess weight and digestion need to be careful.

Harm and contraindications

Black walnut is much more often referred to as a medicine than a harmless snack. For this reason, it must be consumed in certain doses that will really be beneficial to the body. An overdose of any remedy can be harmful. Do not forget about the possibility of an allergic reaction in those who have never tried this nut.

Black walnut can lead to various side effects when consumed excessively:

1. Cerebral vasospasm. Despite the fact that nuts should relieve spasms and dilate blood vessels, there is an opinion that when eating a large amount of nuts, especially in childhood, the vessels of the brain may spasm. Also, black walnut can provoke tonsil hypertrophy in young children.
2. Allergic reaction. Black walnut can provoke very severe allergies, shortness of breath, skin rashes, Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock, which are very life-threatening. People who have food allergies should use this product with caution.
3. Poisoning. The nut itself does not cause poisoning, but the use of stale or moldy nuts will inevitably lead to an upset gastrointestinal tract. Many believe that black walnut with mold can even provoke cancer.
4. Liver disease and pancreatitis. Because nuts are quite fat, when fried, they put a lot of stress on the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.

Contraindications to the use of black walnut are overweight, serious bowel disease, gastritis, ulcers, cirrhosis of the liver. During pregnancy or lactation, the use of black walnut should be avoided.

Children are not recommended to give this nut under 2 years old. However, in some cases, for example, in oncology, it is recommended to give a drop of black walnut tincture. The optimal dose of black walnut is a small handful per day for an adult. Children are given this nut only as a medicine and individually.

How to choose and store black walnuts?

Black walnut is not so common, so not everyone knows how to choose it correctly, collect it, buy it and store it. Black walnut fruits are harvested in autumn. The tree is quite large and spreading, so it is rather difficult to collect them by hand. Fruits are attached firmly, it is difficult to knock them down, and besides, branches can be damaged. Therefore, a special technique is used more often.

If the nuts are ripe enough, they will fall off on their own. Collecting them from the ground is pretty simple. If you need to pick green nuts, you need to use a variety of tools.

Processing and storage of black walnut has its own subtleties:

• It is best to wear protective clothing and rubber gloves when handling. The juice is non-toxic, but leaves acrid stains that will be difficult to remove later.
• The rind is usually removed with a knife, leaving only the shell. Nuts can be washed and dried.
• It is difficult to separate the kernels from the shell. You can use a hammer, tongs, or a vice to do this. The main thing is not to get hurt.
• In-shell nuts are stored for a long time. No special conditions are required. It is enough to put the dried nuts in an opaque container and close the lid. So they can be stored for up to six months, if the place is cool enough. Peeled nuts should only be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Black walnuts are sold peeled or unpeeled. They can be bought or ordered from the online store. If the nut is whole, you need to pay attention to inspect the shell so that there are no spots or cracks. The shell should not be too dark. The black color indicates that the nut has been lying for a long time, it is overdried and will soon deteriorate.

When buying peeled nuts, you need to pay attention first of all to the smell of the kernels. There should be no smell of mold or sweetness. You can also taste them.

More information can be found in the video: