Black Walnut Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

Walnuts are a type of food similar to pecans, pine nuts, hazelnuts, and cashews. They grow on trees native to North America. Walnuts were very important to the diets of Native Americans and early North American settlers. Walnut trees grow well in the Appalachian area and in the Central Mississippi Valley. There are many different types of walnuts, including white walnut and black walnut. Black walnuts offer a more distinct flavor, and they have thicker shells that are tougher to crack.¹

Black Walnut Uses and Health Benefits

Walnuts have numerous health benefits. The leaves can be used to create an infusion and to minimize eye irritation. They’re also said to stimulate poor appetite, and the infusions can be applied topically to treat wounds and conditions like eczema. The outer nut rind can be taken as tonic to treat diarrhea, and an infusion can help with hair loss and anemia. The inner bark can be made into a decoction to treat slow digestion and constipation.²

The part of the black walnut you’re likely familiar with and is available at your local grocery store is the actual nut. You can eat the nut directly or use the oil prepared from it. The oil of the nut is said to help women experiencing menstrual dysfunction.² Black walnuts are a rich source of magnesium and protein.^3,4

Other prominent black walnut benefits include for:

• Athlete’s Foot - One of the most prevalent black walnut uses is in treating athlete’s foot when applied topically.
• Amoebiasis (Amebiasis) - Amoebiasis is a parasitic intestinal infection. Black walnut contains anti-parasitic properties to help rid the body of parasites that cause amoebiasis.
• Parasitic Disease - Like how black walnut benefits patients with amoebiasis, it can also combat other parasitic diseases when taken orally. A combination of wormwood, black walnut, and clove is often used to treat parasitic conditions like roundworm.
• Yeast Infection - Black walnut can be taken orally or used topically to help treat yeast infections.
• Ringworm - Though it sounds like a parasitic infection, ringworm is actually an infection caused by a fungus or yeast. Black walnut leaves can be used topically to treat ringworm.
• Rosacea - Rosacea causes redness in the face and can lead to swelling or acne-like skin sores. Topical applications of black walnut may help combat rosacea.

Black Walnut Side Effects and Precautions

Black walnut is considered safe to eat and to use topically. However, in rare cases, black walnut side effects may occur. Avoid taking a wormwood, black walnut, and clove home remedy for parasites if you have porphyria, stomach ulcers, or kidney disease.⁶ Stop taking black walnut if you experience signs of an allergic reaction.

Talk to your doctor about starting on a black walnut diet if you are taking other herbs or medications. Do not attempt to self-medicate with black walnut for serious conditions like parasitic diseases without consulting your doctor and receiving proper diagnosis first. Talk to your doctor about using a black walnut home remedy if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

References

1. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=99
2. http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_walnut.htm
3. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/magnesium
4. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002467.htm
5. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/intestinal-parasites
6. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/roundworms
7. http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/ringworm
8. http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/rosacea