Walnut: why for 2000 years it was called the food of the gods and the food for the mind
Break a walnut in half — and you'll see two halves that look astonishingly like the hemispheres of a human brain. Ancient peoples were convinced this was no accident. And as it turned out thousands of years later, in a way, they were right.
Why did the ancient Romans call this nut the “acorn of Jupiter” and serve it only at the feasts of the nobility?
The walnut's homeland isn't Greece at all, but ancient Persia — the territory of modern-day Iran. From there the nut traveled the Silk Road in both directions: east to China and west to Greece and Rome. The Romans valued it so highly that they named it after their highest god. In Latin, the walnut is called Juglans — from Jovis glans, “Jupiter's acorn.”
The walnut was a symbol of prosperity and fertility: it was given as a wedding gift and scattered at celebrations. Not everyone could afford it — that's how it earned its reputation as “food of the gods.”
On top of that, in the Middle Ages there was a curious belief — the “doctrine of signatures”: it was thought that if a food resembled the shape of a body organ, it was also good for that organ. The walnut, with its “convolutions,” was an obvious candidate for the role of brain food. Back then it was just a guess. Today, it has unexpectedly acquired a scientific basis — but more on that in a moment.
The tree bears fruit for decades, passing the harvest from generation to generation. For many peoples, planting a walnut tree literally meant taking care of your grandchildren.
Where does the walnut's name come from?
If the nut's homeland is Persia, where does the name come from? In many languages it translates as the “foreign” nut — because it reached those regions through other peoples. In the West, it's still called the “Persian nut” today, which is closest to the truth.
Juglans regia — “the royal acorn of Jupiter.” That's exactly how the walnut's botanical name still reads in Latin today.
What makes it so beneficial
The walnut is a true champion among nuts for omega-3 content (the plant-based ALA fatty acid). By this measure, it outpaces almonds, hazelnuts and cashews many times over. On top of that, it has some of the highest antioxidant reserves of any nut, plus plant protein, fiber, and about 65% healthy fats.
Omega-3s are exactly the “right” kind of fats that we usually don't get enough of in our everyday diet. Our body doesn't produce them on its own, so we can only obtain them through food. And the walnut is one of the few plant sources where they're truly abundant.
It's the combination of omega-3 and antioxidants that's linked to two things: supporting brain function and cardiovascular health. Turns out ancient peoples, with their “food for the mind,” weren't so far from the truth after all.
That “brain” shape turns out to be more than a trick of nature — modern studies link moderate, regular walnut consumption to support for cognitive function. And the daily portion is really quite small: a handful, about 30 g, or roughly 14 walnut halves.
What to eat it with: the perfect pairings
The walnut really shines in the company of dried fruit: the fruit's sweetness gently balances the nut's slight bitterness, and together they make a filling, healthy snack — with no added sugar and no unnecessary additives. Here are five combinations from our range:
How to choose and store them
The walnut has one quirk: because of its high fat content, it can start to go rancid over time if stored badly. A few simple rules — and the nut will stay fresh for a long time:
Keep the nuts in a sealed container in a dark, cool place — light and heat are their main enemies. Shelled kernels keep best in the fridge, and in hot weather they can even be frozen without affecting the flavor. Most importantly — a good walnut should smell fresh and slightly sweet, with no musty or “oily” odor.
The perfect time to put together your own nut-and-dried-fruit duo.
Choose walnutsThe walnut is one of humanity's oldest nuts (7000+ years), the omega-3 champion among nuts, and the ideal partner for dried fruit. A handful a day — tasty and healthy at once.