Nuts and Seeds · FFET10455

Walnut

Walnut kernels can be eaten raw, used in pastries and other dishes, or pressed for oil.

Walnuts were called hutao in older Chinese texts. The kernels can be eaten raw, used in pastries, cold dishes, stir-fries, congee and fillings, or pressed for oil. Yecheng County in Xinjiang is home to the Yecheng walnut.

What

Walnuts are nuts eaten for their kernels. Older Chinese texts also call them hutao.^1,2

When

An older text says walnuts come from the western regions and are sweet and good to eat. The available evidence does not establish an exact year for that passage or when walnuts were introduced to China.²

Where

The walnut genus is generally regarded as native to Central Asia. Yecheng County in Xinjiang has Yecheng walnuts.^1,4

How

Walnut kernels can be eaten raw, added to pastries, cold dishes, stir-fries and congee, used in fillings, or pressed for cooking oil.¹

Why

Walnut kernels can be eaten raw, added to pastries, cold dishes, stir-fries, congee and fillings, or pressed for oil, so they serve many uses.¹

Impact and influence

FAO statistics for 2023 show China producing about 1.40 million metric tons of walnuts in shell, roughly 35 percent of a world total of about 4.0 million metric tons.³

Sources (4)