AvoToasted’s Top 5 Facts About Walnut Oil

Do you know what the phrase “Juglans Regia” means?

If you guessed “Jupiter’s royal acorns”, you’d be absolutely correct! Didn’t get that one right? That’s okay, most of us wouldn’t.

The phrase dates back to ancient Roman times. Nowadays, we know these little “acorns” by a different name.

No, we aren’t talking about part of the male anatomy. We’re talking about a different kind of nut. One of the oldest foods known to humans: Walnuts!

Walnuts have been part of the human diet for thousands of years. And guess what… they’re really healthy for you! Especially when they’re cold-pressed into an oil.

In this article, we’ll spread the walnut love and give you our top 5 facts about walnut oil.

Even though it falls into the “fats” category of the food pyramid, walnut oil health benefits are abundant. That’s because most of the fats in this oil are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated variety.

What does that mean? These are the fats that strengthen your heart and blood vessels. They help bring down cholesterol and protect your heart. And they help you maintain a healthier weight.

Walnut oil cooking is a great way to get in your daily allowance of omega-3 fatty acids. Thought you had to eat lots of fish (or fish oil) to get those? Wrong! Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3s.

This fatty acid group plays an important structural role in your body’s cell-building abilities. But your body can’t make them. So you must get them from your diet, hence the importance of eating walnuts.

On top of the healthy fats and omega-3s, this power food is full of other nutrients. It has anti-inflammatory properties and it’s full of antioxidants. All of which keep you healthy in the long run.

Those omega-3s we were just talking about… they’re essential to keeping your brain and eyes healthy.

Walnut oil benefits for eyes include protecting them from dangerous diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma. It’s also known to help improve dry eye syndrome. And to relieve high eye pressure by helping to drain fluid away from the eyes.

Doctors believe that eating walnuts wards off degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. And if you’re already suffering from these, upping your walnut intake can help slow progression.

Your body uses the fats in walnuts and their oil to improve the strength of the membranes that surround brain cells. The stronger this membrane, the better the nerves fire. And the better your nerves fire, the easier it is to think and remember things.

Eating “good” fats like those present in walnuts and other nut oils, is good for your skin and joints. It lubricates joints from the inside, helping you stay more active as you age. And it gives you skin that looks and feels softer and smoother.

The anti-inflammatory properties help your body fight off acne and other skin issues like eczema and psoriasis. Plus, the antibacterial properties can help combat wrinkles and sagging skin as you age.

Not only that, you can put the oil directly on your skin. It’s an excellent carrier oil used to dilute essential oils that might irritate your skin if applied alone. It’s moisturizing but won’t leave your skin feeling oily.

Stress is so harmful to your body. It’s the root cause of almost all major illnesses including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. But eating walnuts can help counteract the effects of stress on your body.

One walnut oil side effect is that it helps to lower blood pressure because of the precious polyunsaturated fats it provides. Raised blood pressure is a common side effect of stress. And eating walnuts helps combat that.

They’re also thought to be great for your mood. We know they support healthy brain function. Eating walnuts and walnut oil can help bring down levels of anxiety.

The smell of the oil is often soothing to your senses. And it works to clear out your mind and provide a good boost of energy to help balance out your mood.

Um, yeah, did we mention that it’s delicious!? Okay, technically this is a matter of opinion, not fact. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it out for yourself!

Olive oil is what most of us reach for when we’re cooking because of its high smoking point. And it’s great for drizzling on foods too. But sometimes, you want something different.

Walnut oil offers you a delicious alternative to olive oil. Plus, walnuts are part of the healthiest diet around, the pegan diet, which combines the healthiest elements of both the paleo and vegan diets.

The taste is nuttier than olive oil. It also has a very low smoking point so it’s not the greatest cooking oil. But drizzling walnut oil over a salad or using it as part of a cold sauce adds an amazing nutty flavor to any dish.

It’s a light oil, almost clear. As opposed to extra virgin olive oil which is green and thick. And it’s not known to last as long as olive oil. Eat yours within a few months of opening it or you run the risk of it going rancid.

The best walnut oils are cold-pressed after the nuts are dried. When buying a good oil, make sure it isn’t too filtered. This takes away too much of the precious, delicate flavor.

And check the bottle to see if it’s made from roasted walnuts. Oil made from roasted nuts has a stronger, roasted flavor. It can still be good, but it’s not the light, nutty flavor you’ll get from dried nuts.

Have we convinced you that it’s time to add some walnut oil to your diet? These are some of our favorite facts about this super healthy oil.

Walnuts and their oil have a ton of nutrients that help combat inflammation, heart disease, and stress. They’re made of the healthiest kinds of fats that are great for improving your skin, inside and out. And the oil is a delicious addition to any kitchen pantry.

So go ahead and add Jupiter’s royal acorns to your shopping list. You won’t regret it!