THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WALNUTS

Raw walnuts are recommended by dietitians thanks to the balanced composition of their fats and high content of Omega 3 and all the benefits its consumption has.

Nuts are the source of energy and nutrients for the plant, for this reason, they contain a relatively large quantity of calories, essential unsaturated and monounsaturated fats including linoleic acid and linolenic acid, vitamins, and essential amino acids.

What are walnuts?

Walnuts are a nut of the walnut tree whose name means "seed of God". Romans considered it the food of the gods, thanks to its nutrients, and the Greeks called it kara (head) because of its resemblance to the human brain.

In 2019, world production of walnuts in shells was 4.5 million tonnes, predominantly grown in China, with other notable producing countries being the United States and Iran.

Its origin has not been precisely defined, but this document points to Persia (Iran) and the Caucasus as its homeland.

In a botanical context "nut" implies that the shell doesn’t open to release the seed.

Energy	2,738 kJ (654 kcal)
Carbohydrates	13.71 g
Starch	0.06 g
Sugars	2.61 g
Dietary fiber	6.7 g
Fat	65.21 g
Saturated	6.126 g
Monounsaturated	8.933 g
Polyunsaturated omega 3 omega 6	47.174 g 9 g 38 g
Protein	15.23 g

Benefits of walnuts

Walnuts are a nut full of energy, protein, fibre, healthy lipids, calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, zinc, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folates, vitamins B6 and E.

Because of all these nutritional properties, walnuts have a multitude of benefits for the body that you will get from eating a small portion of 25-30 grams a day.

Research suggests that eating nuts can:

1. Combat cell damage, as it has high levels of antioxidants.
2. Reduce cholesterol, due to its high content of Omega 3 fatty acids of vegetable origin.
3. Boosts the immune system, helping your body protect itself from external agents.
4. Help to prevent cardiovascular diseases and have a healthy heart, thanks to the healthy fats and minerals contained in walnuts.
5. It strengthens bones because it is a source of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
6. Take care of your brain thanks to its nutritional properties, which improve the body's neuronal capacity. Their neuroprotective compounds help to improve cognitive and motor function in the ageing process.
7. Help control appetite helping you to satisfy your hunger more quickly and prevent overeating and displacing the consumption of ultra-processed products.
8. Improve mood, as they increase serotonin levels in the body.
9. They favour recovery after intense physical effort, thanks to their high energy value and due to their high Omega 3 content.
10. Help to combat insomnia, due to its polyunsaturated fatty acids, which delay the onset of sleep disturbances.
11. Regulate intestinal transit thanks to their high fibre content; they also combat constipation.
12. Lower blood pressure.
13. Induce muscle relaxation, due to their tryptophan and vitamin B6 content.