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![Walnut]() | Walnut | Walnut (Juglans regia)
The oil is obtained from the nuts of the tree. Walnut is a deciduous tree native to America, Europe and Asia. It grows to a height of about 100 feet. The dark green leaves are glossy and oval shapped; the female flowers are green and the male flowers are yellowish-green in catkins. The nuts are hard shelled. In an ancient Chinese herbal, walnut was described as promoting circulation, darkening the hair and making the skin smooth. It was used to relieve stomach acid and excessive urination. In Ayurvedic medicine, walnuts are considered to be a brain tonic. The American Indians juiced the hulls as a remedy to rid their animals of parasites. The crushed green hulls were also used to supefy fish so that they could be caught easily. Until the end of the 18th Century European households drank walnut milk as a substitute for dairy milk. The nuts were finally powdered and soaked in water to createthis nourishing drink. Gypsies have traditionally used the nut hulls and tree roots to make dyes; theatrical performers have also used them to stain their skin dark brown. Many Europeans subsititue olive oil with walnut oil. In southern Europe, walnut oil has long been used for cooking. France is said to make the finest-quality oil, which accounts for 33% of the countrys total oil production. In Germany a tea made from walnut leaves is given daily to children for 2-6 months to alleviate skin problems. In China the nuts are used as a laxative and pain reliever. When the bark is tapped in the spring, it yields a sweet sap similar to maple syrup. The green rind of the walnut has been used in many applications, such as a fungicide for agriculture, in a poulite for ringworm, and as a source of iodine for individuals deficient in it. The inner bark and leaves have been used for skin problems, gout, colic, impotence and to expel worms. The nut hasd a rich oil content of 60%. The oil is used in tanning lotions and the wood in making valuable furniture. The oil is analgesic, antigalactagogue, anti-inflamatory, antilithic, antispasmodic, aperative, astringent, digestive, moisturising (lungs), parasiticide, tonic, vasoconstrictor, vermifuge, vulunary. | | |
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