Issue 4
American Black Walnuts: The Ultimate Sustainable Superfood
American Black Walnuts are unique among commercially available tree nuts because they’re a wild-harvested superfood indigenous to the U.S. In fact, harvesting really isn’t the right word. “Collecting” is a better term for the efforts of tens of thousands of average Americans who take time out every fall to pick up nuts from parks, golf courses, woods, and backyards. They then then haul them to hulling stations where the nuts are stripped of their inky green husks and weighed for payment. Individuals, families, and clubs all participate in this fall ritual mostly in the east central U.S. The temporary hulling stations then transfer the nuts to a plant in Missouri, the epicenter of the black walnut culture, for shelling, bagging and national distribution for home baking, snacks, ice cream, specialty oil, and a variety of other uses. Even the shells are ground into an eco-friendly abrasive. Nothing is wasted or discarded. And because American Black Walnuts are wild, the trees require no additional natural resources to produce their bounty, unlike orchard grown nuts.
It’s an incredible and unique story of how a wild nut can bring communities together to gather a food with such an extraordinarily healthy nutritional profile. Depending on growing conditions and seasonal cycles, the average annual harvest is about 20 million pounds. That’s a lot of people scouring forests and fields collecting nuts—and none of them are cultivated or mechanically harvested save for a few experimental improved varieties.
In addition to sustainability and its unique brand of local sourcing, recent scientific studies give Black Walnuts clear status as a superfood. While many tree nuts, such as English walnuts, have received attention for their nutritional benefits, comparatively little research has focused on black walnuts. However, that’s changing. Last year researchers at the University of Missouri confirmed that black walnuts contain molecular compounds called phytosterols, which have been shown to help prevent obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease while promoting lower cholesterol, lower inflammation and anticancer activity in the body, according to the University of Missouri News Bureau.
According to the report, “Phytosterols have previously been found in English walnuts, but researchers discovered black walnuts are a richer source of the health promoting molecule.”
The report comes at a time of heightened consumer interest in superfoods of sustainable origin that offer a unique culinary experience. Black Walnuts offer it all, while providing a seasonal economic boost to the large numbers of people who harvest them.
“The black walnut is already an important crop in the Midwest, but we are beginning to see it still has enormous potential,” said ChungHo Lin, an associate research professor of forestry in MU’s School of Natural Resources and Center for Agroforestry. “The health benefits of phytosterols are well known, and now we have critical information for both consumers and producers that shows black walnuts are a great diet option for those looking to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.”
In addition, 16 phenolics have been identified in Black Walnuts, including phenolic acids, flavonoids and catechins, with ellagic acid predominating. And they are a rich source of protein and fiber.
Prior to European settlement, Native Americans used Black Walnuts for food and the husks for medicine and dyes. Today Black Walnuts are commercially popular for home baking and ice cream, with growing interest in nut butters and oil, nutrition bars, bakery foods, and snacks. High protein Black Walnut flour also is being developed as a plant-based nutritional supplement.
The Black Walnut has a rich legacy and an even more exciting future. Please let us know how we can provide more insight and information. We hope you include Black Walnuts in any upcoming articles or blogs related to nutrition, sustainability, superfoods, tree nuts, or any of the product categories where Black Walnuts are used.
This report may be reprinted or quoted with attribution.
Learn more at:
wildblackwalnuts.org
American Black Walnut Marketing Board | (417) 276-5181