Walnuts (Juglans)


Walnut characteristics

  • Excellent source of omega-3
  • Rich in fibre
  • Source of plant protein
  • Promotes cardiovascular health
  • Good source of vitamins and minerals

Nutritional and caloric values of walnuts

For 100g dried shelled walnuts:

  • Calories: 660
  • Protein: 13.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 6.88g
  • Lipids: 67.3g
    • Saturated: 6.45
    • Monounsaturated: 14.1g
    • Polyunsaturated: 43.6g
    • Omega 3: 7.5g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
  • Fibre: 6.7g

Zoom in on the micronutrients

Among the nutrients present in walnuts in good quantities, we can mention the following:

  • Manganese
  • Phosphorus
  • Magnesium
  • Iron
  • Zinc
  • Copper
  • Vitamin B1
  • Vitamin B6
  • Folate

The benefits of walnuts

Several epidemiological and clinical studies have linked the regular consumption of nuts and oilseeds with various health benefits:

The amount of nuts and oilseeds associated with these benefits is usually equivalent to about 5 30g portions per week.

The properties of walnuts

  • An excellent source of polyunsaturated fats
  • Effect on lipid levels
  • Cardiovascular health
  • Antioxidant power
  • A natural source of phytosterols
  • Arginine content
  • Dietary Fibre
  • Effect on body weight
  • Vitamin E content

How to choose the right walnuts?

Originally from Eurasia, the nut is now grown all over the world.

It is best to buy them in shell, as nuts sold without shells often go rancid: it is the unsaturated fats in the nuts that quickly turn rancid when exposed to air.

You can find nuts in tins: these are still green and tender fruits, marinated in vinegar and eaten as pickles.

For optimal conservation, store walnuts in their shells at temperatures below 10°C (even in the fridge) and walnut oil in the fridge.

Ideally, in-shell walnuts should always be kept refrigerated.



How to prepare the walnut?

In the kitchen, nuts lend themselves to all sorts of combinations.

They can be eaten on their own as a healthy and complete snack.

For cooking enthusiasts, they can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes, adding flavour and texture.

Before cooking

To give walnuts their full flavour, you can roast them before serving or using them in a recipe.

Simply place the shelled walnuts on a metal tray in a 185°C oven.

Cook for about 10 minutes until they are lightly browned and have a pleasant aroma.

They can also be roasted in their shells in the oven at 190°C for about 20 minutes.

If desired, make a nut butter by putting the flesh through a blender for as long as it takes to get a good texture (4 to 6 minutes).

The salted version of walnuts

  • As an appetiser, cover pieces of apple or seedless grape with cream cheese (you can add a little blue cheese to enhance the flavour) and roll in crushed walnuts.
  • In salads, especially the classic Waldorf, with endive and apples. Or: with lamb's lettuce or other greens and diced beetroot cooked with slices of kiwi, diced hard cheese and chopped escarole; with spinach, bacon and pieces of citrus fruit.
  • You can substitute walnuts for the pine nuts in the pesto.
  • Blend the walnuts, bread and coriander leaves to make the breadcrumbs that will be used to coat the fish fillets or scallops.
  • To stuff the poultry: mix the breadcrumbs, chopped apples, walnuts, spring onions, an egg, thyme, salt and pepper. You can also add pickled walnuts.

The sweet version of walnut

  • In bread mixes, cakes, muffins, pastries, clafoutis, macaroons and other sweets. You can't imagine banana bread without its nuts.
  • In bread puddings, with diced apples and raisins.
  • In peach, plum, pear and fig jams.
  • In mueslis, granola and other cereals.
  • Pecan pie with maple syrup (real, of course) is a classic of Quebec cuisine.

Travelling in the kitchen with nuts

  • In Europe, a soup is made with thinly sliced onion lightly browned in butter, walnuts mashed in a blender, diced potatoes and chicken stock. A little cream is added at the end of cooking to bind everything together. Add a dash of port wine if you like.
  • In Italy, salsa di noci, or walnut sauce, accompanies pasta, whether stuffed or not. It consists of soaking bread in milk, then passing it through a blender with garlic and walnuts, salting, adding olive oil, serving with Parmesan cheese and garnishing with some roasted walnuts. It can also be made into a sauce for spreading or dipping vegetables. Several sauces can be thickened in this way with ground walnuts.

Contraindications and allergies

Although walnuts have excellent health benefits, they may be contraindicated in certain specific cases.

Firstly, it should be noted that walnuts, like other oilseeds, are recognised allergens and may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

It is also high in oxalates and should therefore be limited in the diet of people suffering from urinary stones.

Allergy to oilseeds

Some people may be specifically allergic to nuts.

In addition, one study found that walnuts and hazelnuts form a group whose allergies are closely linked: a person who is allergic to one of these foods is more likely to be allergic to the other two.

In addition, it is generally recommended that people who are allergic to peanuts should also avoid eating other nuts and tree nuts (including walnuts), as they also have a high allergenic potential and are often handled and distributed by specialised peanut companies.

Symptoms of nut and oilseed allergy can be severe, including anaphylactic shock.

Urinary stones

Some people may be advised to follow an oxalate-restricted diet to prevent recurrence of kidney stones or urinary stones (also called urolithiasis).

Oxalates are compounds that occur naturally in many foods, including fruits with skins and oilseeds in general.

It is therefore better for these people to avoid them.