People often refer to the walnut tree as a miraculous plant.
This is because every part of the tree is useful: the fruits and the leaves. The beautiful wood is crafted into sturdy furniture, while the leaves release potent phytoncides that repel insects and have a detrimental effect on harmful bacteria.
But what about the benefits of the walnut itself? The nut is packed with easily digestible fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. Its nutritional value is comparable to that of meat, fish, bread, potatoes, and even a liter of milk combined.
In the Caucasus, they make delicious and nutritious walnut sausages from ripe nuts. The preparation is simple: whole, dried nuts are strung on threads, and then placed in a container—ideally a cut-open tube—where they are soaked in a mixture of concentrated grape juice and flour. This product is as nutritious as sausage, but with a sweet twist. Walnut sausage can be stored for a long time if dried and hung in a dry place or under a roof.
Walnuts are included in the diets of athletes and astronauts, and they are recommended for those who are weakened, as they help alleviate fatigue and restore energy and vitality.
For overall well-being, folk medicine suggests eating at least two walnuts on an empty stomach every day. Consuming 100 grams of walnuts with honey for a month and a half is advised for those suffering from hypertension, while walnut milk is known to help normalize intestinal function.
This milk is especially beneficial for children. To prepare it, 10 grams of walnut kernels are ground in a mortar, boiled in 200 grams of milk, strained, and then sweetened with 10 grams of sugar before being served warm.
For those with high stomach acidity, it is recommended to consume 25-100 grams of these nuts daily for 15-20 days.
Unripe walnut kernels contain six times more vitamin C than black currants, nine times more than rose hips, and 40-50 times more than lemons or oranges. In Armenia, the healing properties of green walnuts are harnessed to make medicinal walnut honey (bees are fed with the juice of unripe walnuts mixed with sugar syrup, which they then convert into honey rich in vitamin C).
An alcoholic tincture made from green walnuts is used for stomach and intestinal pains (30 finely chopped nuts are soaked in a liter of alcohol or vodka, sealed, and left in the sun for two weeks. After straining, it is consumed in doses of 15 grams three times a day before meals).
From green walnuts, they also prepare medicinal, nutrient-rich jams and marinades. In the pharmaceutical industry, medications derived from them are used to treat skin tuberculosis. The unripe fruits are rich in vitamins P and E, which are especially important for pregnant women.
A decoction made from walnut leaves (one tablespoon per cup of boiling water) is taken as a general tonic during periods of fatigue or vitamin deficiency, as an astringent for diarrhea, and for gargling in cases of sore throat and stomatitis. For inflammatory processes in the throat and mouth, as well as for treating scrofula and rickets, a tablespoon of dried walnut leaves is steeped in a cup of boiling water for two hours in a covered container. This is taken by the teaspoon three times a day. For diabetes, this infusion is used as a supplement, as it aids in better glucose absorption.
Freshly crushed walnut leaves can be applied to wounds and ulcers for rapid healing.
An oil infusion (50-80 grams of fresh chopped leaves in 300 grams of sunflower oil, left in a dark place at room temperature for 15-20 days) is recommended for liver and gastrointestinal tract diseases, as well as for treating chronic wounds and ulcers. It is taken on an empty stomach by the tablespoon for two weeks.