If you think walnuts, and the first thing that comes to your mind is the walnuts sold in bulk at the grocery store or walnuts in chocolate (yum!), you’re probably thinking of English walnuts. English walnuts have a mild flavor and are easier to shell, making them ideal for snacking.
In contrast, black walnuts are nutrient-dense and have long been used in traditional medicine for anything from supporting a healthy intestinal environment to weight loss to lymphatic system health.
Keep reading to learn more about these nuts' incredible health benefits. While more challenging to crack and eat, they are rich in many nutrients, and many exciting research studies have explored their health benefits!
1. Supports Gut Health
Traditionally, black walnuts have been used to support a healthy intestinal environment by ridding the body of parasites like intestinal worms and fungi, such as scabies and thrush, viruses like herpes, and even canker sores. They’re also known for their anti-fungal properties and ability to encourage healing from valley fever.
A 2018 study demonstrated that diets rich in nuts, specifically walnuts, have many beneficial health effects, such as lowering the risk of cause-specific mortality from heart disease and cancer. In addition, researchers found that walnuts impacted the gastrointestinal microbiota, gut, and metabolic health beneficially. The study concluded that walnut consumption reduced proinflammatory secondary bile acids and LDL cholesterol while increasing beneficial microbiota.
Interested in adding black walnuts to your diet? Since these are hard to get your hands on (and a true chore to crack), we recommend checking out these black walnut supplements:
- Black Walnut Capsules: Great for supporting a healthy intestinal environment! These capsules are traditionally used to treat intestinal worms and may support a healthier gut, which may benefit your metabolic health, LDL cholesterol, and much more!
- Cramp Tea: Struggling with intestinal cramps, spasms from salmonella, or menstrual cramps? This tea was crafted with black walnut leaf, raspberry leaf, cranberries, and slippery elm to promote reduced cramps and spasms in the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems by aiding your body in reducing lactic acid.
2. May Encourage Weight Loss
As a general rule, nuts are associated with being helpful in weight loss despite being higher in calories because of their high levels of healthy fats, which make us feel more satisfied and fuller longer.
In particular, walnuts have been shown to keep you fuller longer, which may help you to eat less, promoting weight loss naturally. In addition to their high levels of vitamins and minerals, walnuts are protein-rich, which is deemed helpful for blood sugar control, feeling full, and encouraging weight loss.
According to the University of Illinois, black walnuts have the greatest protein content of any tree nuts. Plus, they are a top-notch source of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, which is an essential amino acid that offers many health benefits!
Here are a few of our favorite herbal remedies for promoting healthy weight loss accompanied by a healthy diet and exercise:
- Slim Support Capsules: With black walnut, green tea, hawthorn, spearmint, and other weight-loss-promoting herbs, this formula has helped many people slim down when combined with healthy dietary changes. This formula isn’t a stimulant or laxative. Instead, it supports enhanced digestion and nutrient absorption and may even block sugar cravings.
- Slim Tea: Our Slim Tea has a fabulous Chinese Sencha Green Tea base and many encouraging herbs, including black walnut, to help support your digestion and nutrient absorption and curb cravings.
3. May Have Anticancer Properties
Black walnuts have a unique compound called juglone, which has been studied for its believed anticancer properties.
Multiple studies have found that this compound reduced tumor growth, and other test-tube studies found that it may even cause cell death in some types of cancerous cells, specifically stomach cancer and liver cancer. Researchers studying juglone’s impact on liver cancer noted that it caused “ultrastructural changes of human liver cancer,” meaning it actually morphed and altered the structure of these cancer cells — which is incredible!
Lastly, the flavonoid antioxidants in black walnuts have also demonstrated helpful effects on the body. Black walnuts were found to have more helpful flavonoids than your standard English walnut, showing their potent health-promoting properties.
If you’re looking to support your overall health with black walnuts, we suggest the following herbal remedy:
- Black Walnut Capsules: A great way to quickly add black walnut to your diet without the frustration of trying to crack these tough nuts open. These may encourage a stronger digestive system, immune system, and even help with bone disorders due to mineral deficiencies and anemia.
4. May Have Antibacterial & Skin-Benefitting Properties
Black walnut leaves have been used to treat inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, warts, and eczema. One scientific study concluded that they helped inhibit the formation of cytokines, diminished skin flare and itchiness, and prevented greater skin inflammation.
Another study looked at black walnut's effect on bacteria in the mouth and found that it had confirmed antimicrobial potential for various microbial diseases like periodontal disease — also known as gum disease, which damages the soft tissue around teeth and can even lead to bone damage and tooth loss.
Black walnut’s antibacterial properties can be useful for many conditions. Consider these helpful herbal remedies:
- Parasite Cleanse Extract: An ideal choice for supporting your body while it rids itself of parasites and heals your intestinal system. Black walnut and wormwood come together for an ultra-helpful, encouraging extract.
- Anti-Yeast Capsules: We’ve created this traditional formula to combat infections, parasites, and Candida in the body by supporting your body with black walnut, Oregon grape root, echinacea, and other potent herbs. It’s ideal for encouraging your body while it fights off bacterial and viral infections.
- Cleansing Walnut Cream: Struggling with dull skin? Our cleansing walnut cream uses finely ground English walnut hulls to deep clean and exfoliate your skin while providing it with B vitamins and antioxidants. It also contains aloe vera and jojoba oil to soothe the skin and inflammation.
We hope this article makes you look at walnuts in a whole new light! These powerful nuts have so many exciting benefits, and we can’t wait to see what research comes out next about them.
Well Wishes,
Herbalist Leilah & Herbalist Natalie
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Natalie Hajdu-Voakes is a consulting Herbalist with over 27 years of hands-on experience and the owner of The Herb Stop. |