Known and consumed since prehistorical times, the walnut has various origins, in East Asia, Southeast of Europe, North and South America. There exist more than 15 varieties of Juglans, belonging to the Juglandaceae family, but by far the most delicious and commercially important one is the Juglans Regia, also known as the Persian or English walnut.

The Greeks gave it the name Kara (head), because of the resemblance with the human skull and brains. This similarity is the source of medieval beliefs of the healing properties of the walnut for any kind of head ache.

Today, because of its high concentration of mineral salts and vitamins, it is only fair to consent to its important therapeutical properities.

The world production of walnuts is spread over France, U S.A., China, India, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain and Chile. They are marketed in shelled and inshell form with principal uses as snack, dessert, confectionery and for the preparation of several food products, and as a supplement to various culinary recipes.

Refuse: 55%  (Shells)
Scientific Name:  Juglans regia
NDB No: 12155 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)

Nutrient Units Value per 100 grams Number of Data Points Std. Error Proximates Water g 4.07 7 0.155 Energy kcal 654 0   Energy kj 2738 0   Protein g 15.23 7 0.238 Total lipid (fat) g 65.21 7 0.494 Ash g 1.78 7 0.019 Carbohydrate, by difference g 13.71 0   Fiber, total dietary g 6.7 7 0.549 Sugars, total g 2.61 7 0.094 Sucrose g 2.43 7 0.087 Glucose (dextrose) g 0.08 7 0.014 Fructose g 0.09 7 0.011 Lactose g 0.00 7 0 Maltose g 0.00 7 0 Starch g 0.06 7 0.011 Minerals Calcium, Ca mg 98 7 3.009 Iron, Fe mg 2.91 7 0.086 Magnesium, Mg mg 158 7 1.204 Phosphorus, P mg 346 7 3.689 Potassium, K mg 441 7 6.471 Sodium, Na mg 2 7 0.837 Zinc, Zn mg 3.09 7 0.083 Copper, Cu mg 1.586 7 0.026 Manganese, Mn mg 3.414 7 0.122 Selenium, Se mcg 4.9 6 0.417 Vitamins Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid mg 1.3 7 0.184 Thiamin mg 0.341 7 0.01 Riboflavin mg 0.150 7 0.003 Niacin mg 1.125 8 0.055 Pantothenic acid mg 0.570 7 0.011 Vitamin B-6 mg 0.537 7 0.026 Folate, total mcg 98 7 3.889 Folic acid mcg 0 0   Folate, food mcg 98 7 3.889 Folate, DFE mcg_DFE 98 0   Choline, total mg 39.2 0   Betaine mg 0.3 5 0.019 Vitamin B-12 mcg 0.00 0   Vitamin B-12, added mcg 0.00 0   Vitamin A, IU IU 20 6 12.264 Vitamin A, RAE mcg_RAE 1 6 0.613 Retinol mcg 0 0   Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) mg 0.70 13 0.321 Vitamin E, added mg 0.00 0   Tocopherol, beta mg 0.15 13 0.146 Tocopherol, gamma mg 20.83 13 2.609 Tocopherol, delta mg 1.89 13 0.466 Vitamin K (phylloquinone) mcg 2.7 8 0.253 Lipids Fatty acids, total saturated g 6.126 0   04:00 g 0.000 0   06:00 g 0.000 0   08:00 g 0.000 7 0 10:00 g 0.000 7 0 12:00 g 0.000 7 0 14:00 g 0.000 7 0 15:00 g 0.000 7 0 16:00 g 4.404 7 0.095 17:00 g 0.000 7 0 18:00 g 1.659 7 0.035 20:00 g 0.063 7 0 22:00 g 0.000 7 0 24:00 g 0.000 7 0 Fatty acids, total monounsaturated g 8.933 0   14:01 g 0.000 7 0 16:1 undifferentiated g 0.000 7 0 13:00 g 0.000 7 0 18:1 undifferentiated g 8.799 7 0.138 20:01 g 0.134 7 0.008 22:1 undifferentiated g 0.000 7 0 24:1 c g 0.000 7 0 Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated g 47.174 0   18:2 undifferentiated g 38.093 7 0.304 18:3 undifferentiated g 9.080 7 0.179 18:04 g 0.000 0   20:2 n-6 c,c g 0.000 7 0 20:3 undifferentiated g 0.000 7 0 20:4 undifferentiated g 0.000 7 0 20:5 n-3 g 0.000 7 0 22:5 n-3 g 0.000 7 0 22:6 n-3 g 0.000 7 0 Cholesterol mg 0 0   Phytosterols mg 72 3 0.647 Stigmasterol mg 1 3 0.187 Campesterol mg 7 3 0.369 Beta-sitosterol mg 64 3 1.374 Amino acids Tryptophan g 0.170 0   Threonine g 0.596 0   Isoleucine g 0.625 0   Leucine g 1.170 0   Lysine g 0.424 0   Methionine g 0.236 0   Cystine g 0.208 0   Phenylalanine g 0.711 0   Tyrosine g 0.406 0   Valine g 0.753 0   Arginine g 2.278 0   Histidine g 0.391 0   Alanine g 0.696 0   Aspartic acid g 1.829 0   Glutamic acid g 2.816 0   Glycine g 0.816 0   Proline g 0.706 0   Serine g 0.934 0   Other Alcohol, ethyl g 0.0 0   Caffeine mg 0 0   Theobromine mg 0 0   Carotene, beta mcg 12 6 7.358 Carotene, alpha mcg 0 6 0 Cryptoxanthin, beta mcg 0 3 0 Lycopene mcg 0 3 0 Lutein + zeaxanthin mcg 9 3 0.18