Walnuts are very popular among culinary specialists. This nourishing product has a lot of useful properties and is widely used in folk medicine, making tinctures, decoctions, etc. from it. However, walnuts are a very fatty and allergenic product that cannot be eaten in large quantities, so as not to provoke disruption of the internal organs and other health problems.
Walnut. The nutritional value
The fruits of the nut, like all other parts of the plant, contain up to 76% fat, up to 21% protein and up to 7% carbohydrates, vitamins K and P, important amino acids. The nut kernel fatty oil contains polyunsaturated acids (linoleic, palmitic, oleic and others), vitamins of group B, C, PP, A, iron, cobalt, magnesium, iodine, zinc, copper, various essential oils and tannins, as well as valuable phytoncide called juglone. Most of this substance is found in walnut peel, leaves, stem and roots. Juglone is a kind of natural antibiotic with bactericidal and antifungal properties. It is used in the production of homeopathic remedies for the treatment of bacterial and viral infections, cancer and skin diseases, to strengthen the immune system.
In folk medicine, almost all parts of the plant are used: leaves, pericarp, peel, shell, nut kernels, stems and roots. The leaves are used to heal wounds and to relieve inflammation. Walnut kernels are used for constipation, for the treatment of hypertension, atherosclerosis, diseases of the cardiovascular system. From the partitions of the nuclei, a tincture is made to strengthen the immune system. A decoction of dry leaves is used to treat eczema and lichen. Walnut juice has anthelmintic and choleretic effects, affecting more than 100 types of parasites.
Why you can't eat a lot of walnuts
The optimal daily volume for a healthy adult is 4-5 kernels or 100-150 g. First of all, it should be borne in mind that walnuts are a fatty, hard-to-digest product with a high calorie content. 100 g of peeled kernels contain 650 kcal. Therefore, it is not recommended for overweight people to consume walnuts daily, especially as a substitute for basic food.
In addition, walnuts can cause severe allergies, so pregnant and lactating women can only eat them in small quantities. It has been noticed that excessive consumption of walnuts causes inflammation of the tonsils and the appearance of a rash in the oral cavity, as well as spasm of the cerebral vessels, accompanied by a sharp headache in the frontal lobe of the skull and nausea. People suffering from chronic colitis, eczema and psoriasis are advised to refrain from eating walnuts as they can aggravate the disease.
Due to the high content of fat and protein, as well as the choleretic effect of the fatty oil contained in the kernels of walnuts, consumption of this product in large quantities can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other disorders of the digestive system. Although it has been proven that in small quantities, walnuts, on the contrary, are able to normalize the functioning of the liver, gallbladder and intestines, as well as lower cholesterol levels.
If you like the taste of walnuts, then you should not give up your favorite treat, but stick to the recommended daily intake by combining walnuts with dried fruits and honey. This oriental sweetness will give you great pleasure without any health risks.
