Since I was a little kid I have always craved walnuts. This often overlooked fruit (yes, nuts are a fruit) is slowly making its way up the “nuts to watch” list. Aside from them being a delicious topping to an ice cream sundae, they are a healthy nut alternative to the often thought of almond.
Go ahead, grab a handful of walnuts and let’s learn some interesting tidbits about this “new” all-star:
- walnuts are the oldest known tree food — they date back to at least 7,000 BC (there are inscriptions on clay tablets that reveal walnut groves in King Solomon’s famed Gardens of Babylon!)
- walnuts are only harvested once a year between September and November
- walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure
- California grows over half the world’s production of walnuts
- walnuts have great medicinal value in curing bad breath (garlic + walnut = good combination), reducing inflammation and healing wounds
This is one nut I cannot live without…and you shouldn’t either!
Walnuts are the oldest known tree food — they date back to 10,000 BC – See more at: http://www.nutritioulicious.com/2010/10/interesting-walnut-facts/#sthash.dHlGokqA.dpuf
Walnuts are the oldest known tree food — they date back to 10,000 BC – See more at: http://www.nutritioulicious.com/2010/10/interesting-walnut-facts/#sthash.dHlGokqA.dpuf
Yum. Who knew walnuts were so old? But was it Solomon who grew them in Babylon, or was it king Nebuchadnezzar?… ’cause that guy was a nut ;o)
Good question! Maybe one of the history buffs “out there” could answer that one.