Hammons Celebrates National Nut Day

Happy National Walnut Day!  This day in 1958 marked the first National Walnut Day in history.  Each year on this day both varieties of walnuts (English and Black) are promoted for their benefits and differences.

Black Walnuts have been around longer than nearly every other American food.  As a matter of fact, cooking with Black Walnuts dates back to the earliest days of America.  Honey Black Walnut Bread was on the menu for the 19th century explorers Lewis and Clark.

For generations, Black Walnuts have been the wild, more robust cousins of the commercially harvested English walnuts.  The biggest difference between the two varieties of walnuts is the taste.  English walnuts have a milder taste, while Black Walnuts have a bold, earthier flavor, making it an ideal ingredient for recipes.

Black and English walnuts both have similar highly beneficial nutrients.  A few differences in nutrition do exist.  A study by the University of Nebraska found that Black Walnuts have higher levels of dietary fiber, folate, phytosterols, vegetable protein, and melatonin.  In addition, Black Walnuts have the highest protein content of any tree nut with 7 grams per serving.

American Black Walnuts are a completely wild nut, grown free of orchards or pesticides, so there are no health concerns over chemicals used in growing, harvesting, or preserving these 100% natural nuts.

Whether you’ve recently discovered the bold taste or you’ve loved Black Walnuts since childhood, it’s time to rediscover this amazing wild nut that’s bursting with flavor and rich nutrients.  Try some of our most-loved recipes today!