Walnuts are very nutritious, as they contain an average of 70% fat, mainly very healthy unsaturated fatty acids, 18% protein and approximately 3% carbohydrates. They contain iron, selenium, zinc, potassium, vitamin E and the B vitamins. Walnuts are shaped somewhat like a brain and brain activity is also beneficial. They also have anti-inflammatory properties, have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular diseases, regulate blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels.
The walnut is the fruit of the walnut tree, which grows to a height of 10–40 meters. The walnut tree is one of the most cultivated trees in the world. The first trees in Europe began to be cultivated in the Bronze Age, and the cultivation of this tree became more widespread in the early Middle Ages. The fruit is a nut covered with a stiffened comb with a stony pericarp.
