This year's pleasant warm summer provided a good growth of walnuts. Nevertheless, the abundance of nuts on the trees has caused them to be smaller, but not less tasty.
At almost every walk we encounter these delicious fruits of nature, which seem to remind us of the human brain. However, as far as I've heard on the radio show last time, this is not only a virtual similarity, but there is also some truth in it. Walnuts apparently contain the highest concentrations of Omega 3 fatty acids among all nuts. In addition to all the important tasks for which these fats in our body are responsible, they also have a significant impact on the centers of thought responsible for mood and well-being.
As the show anchor explained, everything makes sense - let me explain: the fat in the diet is included in the structure of the cell membranes. Omega 3 is soft and liquid in structure and allows cells to interact with each other as they promote the flow of nerve carriers (such as dopamine and serotonin) into and out of the cell. This contributes to the support of memory and the ability of cognitive thinking.
Crude kernels without additives are a great source of energy and essential nutrients. Their healing properties are as follows:
Regular consumption of small amounts helps to lower fat and cholesterol in the blood, inhibit the onset of cardiovascular disease and acts anti-inflammatory.
Walnuts have a relaxing and calming effect on us, because of the relatively high content of the amino acid tryptophan, which releases the serotonin hormone in the body.
They help the metabolism and strengthen the heart and lungs.
The arginine amino acid promotes the formation of nitric oxide, which ensures that the arteries remain flexible and allow a good flow of blood through the heart.
But to use the green peel of walnuts, which we soak into domestic brandy, as a home remedy for the stomach issues, we have already read in one of @mommybear's past posts.
Since we live practically in the middle of nature, we know that choosing the right walnut is not only a coincidence. When choosing, I suggest the following:
If you have a walnut tree at home, pick up the walnuts, dry them well and store in a cool and dark place. The cores are tasty and fresh if the walnuts are cracked at the same time we will eat them.
Grind walnuts which are packaged in pouches can spoil very quickly, so always check the usage date and use them as soon as possible.
Always try the kernels you want to buy at the store, as it often happens to be beam and bitter.
Keep kernels in tightly closed containers (glass jars), in a dark and cool place (preferably in a pantry or refrigerator). You can store large quantities of kernels even in the freezer.
Last but not least I can mention how to prepare and use them:
As many times as possible try and eat them raw, or in a variety of fresh desserts or as an addition to fruit and vegetable salads. A combination of walnuts and vegetables cooked in steam is also delicious.
In natural healing, walnut oil is highly valued, which helps to regulate body weight, cleanses the blood and stimulates the functioning of the kidneys.
A delicious natural snack is walnut balls. Prepare them from the same parts of soaked and ground walnuts and raisins. Rolle them in cocoa or ground walnuts and store in cold.
The most famous walnut desserts from traditional Slovenian cuisine are "Potica" and "Prekmurska gibanica", which is usually not rushed through the gastrointestinal tract due to the baked mixture of many ingredients.
What I'm talking about in the last paragraph is better if you surf the web by yourself, because in our family, we usually don't manage to make a photo shoot before we eat it all. ;)
Photos made by me, and my Samsung A5.