Basic Introduction to Yongde Walnuts
Yongde Walnuts are a specialty of Yongde County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. Yongde County is a major walnut-producing area, with the walnut plantation area exceeding one million mu, making it a true “Walnut Land.”
Nutritional Value
Walnuts can be called the “king” of antioxidants, and their nutritional value is very high. The American Dietetic Association recommends people eat walnuts two to three times a week, especially middle-aged and elderly individuals and postmenopausal women. This is because the arginine, oleic acid, and antioxidants in walnuts are beneficial for protecting cardiovascular health, preventing coronary heart disease, stroke, and dementia in old age. Walnuts have extraordinary beautifying effects.
For Beauty:
If you regularly eat “walnut porridge,” made by grinding walnut kernels and cooking them, it can nourish the skin, making it fairer and smoother, especially suitable for older people with aging skin.
Anti-Aging:
The vitamin E in walnut kernels protects cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. It is recognized by the medical community as an anti-aging substance, which is why walnuts are known as the “fruit of longevity.”
Heart Health:
Walnuts contain various unsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids that can lower cholesterol levels. Therefore, eating walnuts is good for the heart.
History and Folklore
The walnut originated in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. In China, walnuts trace back to the early Western Han Dynasty, brought back by Zhang Qian during Emperor Wu's reign after his mission to the Western Regions. Because they originated from the Qiang and Hu peoples, walnuts were also known as Qiang peaches or Xiang peaches. According to “The Book of Miscellaneous Records” compiled by Zhang Hua of the Jin Dynasty, “Zhang Qian planted them in Qin [Shaanxi], and they gradually spread to the eastern territories.”
Tasting and Consumption Methods
1. Eat three walnut kernels at a time, once in the morning and once in the evening, for half a month to treat 100-day cough and chronic bronchitis.
2. Pound 1 kilogram of walnut kernels and mix with 1 kilogram of honey. Store in a jar. Eat one spoonful at a time, twice daily, washing it down with hot water to treat shortness of breath due to weakness.
3. Pound five walnut kernels and take with rice wine to treat insufficient milk supply.
4. Pound three walnut kernels and mix with 3 grams of powdered Trichosanthes root. Take with rice wine to treat breast abscesses.
5. Pound 30 grams each of walnut kernels, black sesame seeds, and mulberry leaves into a paste, form into pills. Take 10 grams at a time, twice daily, to treat neurasthenia, poor memory, insomnia, frequent dreams, and lack of appetite.