Nuts have a range of health benefits and they are considered particularly good to eat when the weather is cold. Zhang Kun reports.

At the first approach of the winter chill many people in Shanghai start to take home walnuts and sesames， like squirrels storing food for the cold season.

These nuts with high oil content will replenish energy and keep you warm. It’s not surprising that ancient Chinese considered them a good winter tonic.

The most popular way to consume nuts is to mix ground black sesames， walnuts， glutinous rice and sugar， and eat it as congee with boiling water.

Many traditional Chinese medicine shops sell the mixture in jars. Grandmothers feed it to youngsters， telling them the black sesame makes your hair stronger and lustrous， and walnuts nourish the brain to make you intelligent.

It might be superstitious to believe black sesame keeps one’s hair black because of its color， while walnuts make the brain intelligent because of their shape. The belief in China is that food benefits the function of the human organ which is in the similar shape or form.

Yet scientists all over the world have done lots of research and found walnuts do have lots of benefits to human health.

They also confirm that fall and winter months are a good time to buy in-shell walnuts， because walnuts harvest in the fall， and after a few weeks’ drying and processing， they reach customers through retail and wholesale outlets， according to Lawrence Sambado， a walnut grower and packer in California， the United States.

Walnut production from California is three-fourths of the world trade. In China， three to four out of 10 walnuts you eat may be from California， according to California Walnut Commission.

From a nutritional perspective， walnuts from China and America are not very different. In China，machinery is little used in the cultivation， harvest and processing of walnuts. Many machines areused in the process in the United States.

In Linden of San Joaquin County， California， on Sambado’s ranch， walnuts are shaken off the trees when they ripe， loaded on trucks， cleaned and sorted. All the work is done with trucks， wind-blowers and other machinery. The highly efficient and scientific processing ensures food safetyand high quality of Californian walnuts.

Of the walnuts imported to China， some are shelled， sold in pieces， and made into walnut drinks，and some are used in bakeries and some are sold direct， to top up China’s walnut harvest whenit is low.

Walnuts and other nuts like almond， hazelnuts and pine nuts， take up a significant part of theMediterranean diet.

Walter Willett of Harvard University’s school of public health defined the Mediterranean diet to emphasize \"abundant plant food， fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert， olive oil as the principalsource of fat\"， as well as dairy products， eggs， fish and meat， all in a moderate amount.

People from all over the world eat quite differently. In North America and most of Europe， the consumption of meat and dairy products is prominent， while in China and several other Asian countries people tend to eat more carbohydrates than others. Neither of these diet patterns isideal. Nutritionists from both China and the US now recommend the Mediterranean diet.

Eat Nuts Healthily

According to Beijing-based nutritionist Liu Na， the best way to eat a walnut is straight out of theshell. \"The shell protects the pulp and keeps it fresh. Walnuts are better stored in shell.\" If shelled，they should be kept in sealed containers in a cool place away from humidity or sunlight.

A handful of walnuts with breakfast， or as a quick snack against hunger pangs will be ideal， Liusays. Walnuts are actually a good food for weight control， because the omega-3 fatty acids，protein and fiber in the nut can make you feel less hungry.

According to Liu， walnuts are a good source of nutty nutrition.

\"They are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids，\" she says. \"Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. These are the good fat that benefits human health： it helps lower blood pressure， cut down coronary artery disease and stroke risk.\"

Walnuts also contain high amount of vitamin E， minerals and polyphenolic antioxidants， which all have great health benefits， for fertility， for strong bones， and more.

And pay attention that although nuts are health choices， they are also high in fat and calories， so while a handful can hold you over until dinner， a few more handfuls can ruin your appetite altogether.

http：//www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2015-02/03/content_19474847.htm