Walnuts in their shells (France, Grenoble)

Walnuts contain zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and C. Furthermore, walnuts have a higher content of linolenic acid, one of the omega-3 fatty acids, than any other nut.

Walnuts have been part of the human diet since the Stone and Bronze Ages. Walnut trees grew in Persia thousands of years ago. Today, California (USA) is the main growing region for walnuts. French walnuts are of particularly high quality and are sometimes even offered with protected designations of origin (e.g., Grenoble).

The walnut trees, which can grow up to 25 meters tall, give their name to the walnut family and originally come from Central Asia. Today, however, they can be found in many warmer, mountainous regions of the world, with California being the main exporter. The walnuts, which are encased in a brown, slightly cracked shell, have been used for over 9,000 years, while the use of the trees as a source of the sought-after and expensive walnut wood remains relatively uncommon.

Walnuts are used in numerous dishes, for example in cakes, pastries, ice cream and other desserts, but also in sauces and salads. The walnut kernels can be processed into walnut oil and are extremely popular as a snack. Raw walnuts are pleasantly crunchy and have a deliciously aromatic flavor.