Black walnut

Botanically name: Juglans nigra, family of Juglandaceae, black walnuts are a native of North America, particularly the central Mississippi valley and Appalachian area.

The Iroquois and Narragansett, Eastern Woodlands tribes that lived in New England, used crushed nutmeats and black walnut oil in cornbread and pudding. Nowadays black walnuts are a popular ingredient in candy and ice cream throughout the world. Black walnuts are also used as a flavoring in baked goods.

All walnut species, flower before the expansion of the leaves. Conspicuous catkins of male (staminate) flowers and small female (pistillate) flowers appear at the same time on the tree. They are followed by seed in the form of edible nuts enclosed in an outer husk.

Walnuts are an excellent source of copper and magnesium, and a good source of potassium, vitamin B6, folic acid and thiamine; a source of fiber, they also contain phosphorus, niacin, iron, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.

Black walnuts provide a high content of monounsaturated fat and arginine. Arginine is converted into nitric oxide, a chemical that allows the blood vessels to relax, remain smooth and prevent platelet aggregation.
Black walnut

Dietary of heme iron

Food contains two types of iron: heme iron and non heme iron. Heme iron is a part of hemoglobin and myoglobin, so it is found only in animal tissue.

Meat, fish, and poultry contain about 40 percent heme iron. The other 60% is non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is found primarily in plant foods such nuts, fruits, vegetables, grain and tofu.

Heme iron is much more bioavailable than non-heme iron.

Heme iron exists mainly in ferrous form. Ferrous form of iron is easily absorbed. It is assumed that 25% of the consumed iron can be absorbed in adult. If heme iron is cooked for a long time, it can be converted to non-heme and bioavailability will be affected.

On average, heme iron represents about 10% of the iron a person consumes in a day. Even though heme iron accounts for only a small proportion of the intake, it is so well absorbed that it contributes significant iron.

Efficiency of heme iron absorption is approximately two or three times greater than that of non-heme iron. Many plant based foods such as legumes and cereals contain high levels of phytates, which can inhibit dietary non heme iron absorption.
Dietary of heme iron

Good and bad of salt

Food Ingredient
Table salt is refined salt, containing nearly pure (95% or greater) sodium chloride. It usually contains substances that make it free flowing (anticaking agents). It is common practice to put a few grains of rice in salt shakers to absorb extra moisture when anticaking agents are not enough.

Table salt is also often iodized—a small amount of potassium iodide is added as a dietary supplement. Table salt is mainly employed in cooking and as a table condiment. Iodized table salt has essentially eliminated disorders of iodine deficiency in countries where it is used.

Iodine is important to prevent the insufficient production of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism), which can cause goiter, cretinism in children, and myxedema in adults.

Sodium is one of the primary electrolytes in the body. Too much or too little salt in the diet can lead to an electrolyte disturbance, which can cause severe, even fatal neurological problems. Excessive consumption of sodium has also been linked to high blood pressure, although it seems likely that the degree of this effect varies greatly depending on the individual.

Salt substitutes (with a taste similar to regular table salt) are available for individuals who wish to restrict their sodium intake. These substitutes contain mostly potassium chloride.
Food Ingredient