We know walnuts are perfect as a snack. And that they also make excellent additions to salads, desserts, and a variety of sauces. Perhaps you may have consumed these nuts regularly or perhaps you may have never given a single thought about their benefits. My purpose today will be to make you change your mind and become a complete fanatic of this woody treat.

Before I came to know more about walnuts, all I knew was that I loved popping them into my mouth as a daytime snack. But soon enough I started to learn that they could do wonders in the “skin department”. Herbalists have known for a long time that the bark and leaves from the walnut tree have astringent properties that are good for skin problems. Does this mean you should run to your closest herbal shop and buy the ingredients for a simple decoction? Well… actually, yes. I never said that all benefits of walnuts were coming from the fruit itself. In fact, most of the time a large amount of benefits that come from the plant kingdom do so when you are willing to go the extra mile and explore other parts of trees and plants beyond their fruits. There are records that go back to the 17th century where walnut husk, named “‘vegetable arsenic”, had been used to treat eczema and other skin diseases effectively. True, individuals of that era also believed in witches and a little before that some believed the world was flat! But you do not have to take my word for it. Just take a few sips a day for a reasonable period of time, say a couple of weeks and see how this might improve your skin. Just do not forget to ask the local herbalist for some advise before departing from your hard earned dollars!

I can hear you saying you are not into tree drinking. Ok, so let me explore the walnut subject a little more.

In order of importance we know walnuts contain omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, manganese, copper and tryptophan. Starting with omega 3 fatty acids we have read many times how beneficial they are when it comes to cardiovascular protection by means of helping lower bad cholesterol levels. In fact, the FDA approved the following health claim on March 2004 in regards to walnuts: “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 oz of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.” A less known fact is that these acids can have positive effects on inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. As such, walnuts can also be considered as skin food, meaning that they actually help you achieve a softer and smoother complexion. Many of us suffering from skin inflammation tend to spend a huge part of our expenses on medications, not knowing that one of the best means in maintaining healthy skin is through healthy eating habits. Who would have ever thought that snacking on walnuts will help your skin heal from infections better?

The important numbers are as follows:

Total Omega-3 fatty acids per 1 cup of chopped walnuts: 10623mg
Total Omega-6 fatty acids per 1 cup of chopped walnuts: 44567mg
1 cup of chopped walnuts is approx 117 grams.

An in-depth look at Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Source: http://www.livestrong.com

The most essential varieties of walnuts include the Persian walnut, black walnut, and the butternut walnut. As mentioned before, walnuts are an excellent source of linoleic acids and alpha linoleic acids (omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, respectively). Black walnuts are known specifically to be an excellent source of vitamin E but one of the most well kept secrets regarding this brain-shaped fruit is that they may also be a good source of vitamin C. Some research papers have concluded that young walnuts are especially abundant in vitamin C. One particular paper (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=437827&blobtype=pdf – PDF file) has established these findings in 1947 for walnuts in their early stages of development. Vitamin C protects our skin from harmful free radicals that hasten aging and give our skin a duller complexion. It also promotes collagen formation in the skin, making your skin firm and elastic. It would only make sense then to incorporate this valuable nutrient into your regular diet as soon as you can.

So go ahead and turn your kitchen into your mini skin chemistry lab and start mixing some very fine walnut shell powder with some finely chopped vitamin c, add a little bit of lemon extract and a little bit of clay and you too can become the proud inventor of the next revolutionary skin exfoliate recipe. A cheaper way to detox your skin for sure!

Sources:
http://www.botanical.com
http://www.whfoods.com/
http://www.livestrong.com/
http://wellnessletter.com/html/wl/2003/wlFeatured0503.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walnut
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganese