‘Cracking good’ walnuts usher in the holiday festivities

Walnuts accompany the holiday season that extends from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. 

Big bowls of the brown-shelled beauties with a commercial-grade nutcracker found nearby are standard course for Americans in any region.

 

Walnuts are universal favorites, and 99% of them come to us from California’s Central Valley region. 

The first walnut trees planted in California in the 1770s came from the Franciscan Fathers. They were Catholic missionaries from Central and South America. Many of today’s improved cultivars are descendants of those early walnut plantings. 

Luther Burbank, America’s legendary botanist, horticulturist and pioneer in agricultural science, is credited with early research in California walnut cultivation.

 

In some European cultures, Saint Nicholas would bring fresh fruit and walnuts in a large sack to leave for good boys and girls.

 

In America, Santa Claus became famous for stuffing oranges and walnuts, both symbols of good luck in the coming year, into children’s “Christmas stockings hung by the chimney with care.” 

As it turns out, walnuts have a lot going for them. 

First, they’re great sport to crack open. Some people choose hammers. But watch out. Pieces of shell can fly off in any direction. (You need to have a container handy to collect the debris.) 

Second, there’s always the challenge of picking all the “nut meat” from the crevices, using those skinny, pointy tools that look like they came from the dentist’s office.

 

Third, walnuts are tasty with a rich and flavorful buttery texture. It’s utterly impossible to eat just one…or five…or eight. 

Fourth, you don’t have to fret about that, because walnuts help build healthy bodies. 

“Walnuts are the ‘king of nuts,’ ranking above peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and other nuts,” said Dr. Joe Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton (Pa.). “A handful of walnuts contains almost twice as many antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut.”

 

“But unfortunately, people don’t eat a lot of them. Consumers should eat more walnuts as part of a healthy diet,” Dr. Vinson suggested. 

Emily Lockhart, a regular contributor to the ActiveBeat healthy living website, said: “Walnuts can help reduce stress-related illnesses. The melatonin found in walnuts can also promote sleep.” 

She has tallied “13 science-based health benefits of walnuts.” 

In a nutshell, eating walnuts helps to reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk, Lockhart said. Walnuts are also good for one’s stomach and may reduce the risk of certain cancers, including breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. 

“Eating walnuts may even help control your appetite and hunger,” Lockhart said. “Some studies suggest that eating walnuts may help lower blood pressure.” 

“It may be just a coincidence that the shell of a walnut looks like a tiny brain, but research suggests that this nut may indeed be good for your mind,” Lockhart said. “Observational studies in older adults have linked eating walnuts to better brain function, including faster processing speed, more mental flexibility and better memory.” 

Medical researchers agree. They attest that eating walnuts helps senior citizens to stay mentally sharp and alert…increasing one’s “remembery,” while reducing one’s “forgetery.” 

Local grocery stores do sell bags of walnuts that have already been shelled, so having arthritis in the thumbs is no excuse for not buying a bag on every trip. 

Try a Waldorf salad with fresh apples, celery, walnuts and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise, and traditionally served on a bed of lettuce.

 

Or add walnuts to your leafy greens, along with strawberries, onions, pineapple chunks and small slices of a green apple. Pour a little raspberry vinaigrette dressing on top.