Welcome to our series featuring Food Holidays: October 21st, 2022. Today is National Nut Day and I just had a Brownie with Walnuts thanks to David who make them for me. With a slice of Banana Nut Bread with Walnuts for breakfast. As for a bedtime snack I have a bag of Walnuts sitting on my desk. Can you tell I like Walnuts? What is your favorite Nut and why?
National Nut Day is celebrated annually on October 22nd and the Holiday was created by Liberation Foods Company to encourage the public to choose healthier snack options.
Five facts to know about Nuts:
- Cashews are in the same plant family as Poison Ivy and Poison Sumac and their itchy Oil is contained almost entirely in the shell of the Nut.
- Pistachios get their green color from the same pigment Chlorophyll that lights up Spinach, Kale and other fabulous plant based foods.
- Walnuts enjoy a distinction like no other because there the only Nut that has Omega-3 fatty acids.
- A 2008 study found that Almonds and specifically the fat in Almonds may play a role in increasing healthy Bacteria in the gut.
- Brazil Nuts are high in Selenium, a mineral that has been found to be effective in the fight against prostate Cancer.
When is National Nut Day 2022?
The Liberation Foods Company chose October 22nd as the day when we should be celebrating National Nut Day as a healthier snack option.
History of National Nut Day
National Nut Day was created by Liberation Foods Company as a way to do the right thing by the collectives of Nut farmers around the world. It was important to Liberation Foods Company to stress to the public that their Nuts were not only sustainably-grown, but that the company was committed to giving their Nut farmers a fair minimum wage for their labor and their crops.
Farmers growing Brazil Nuts, Peanuts and Cashews from Malawi, Brazil, India, El Salvador and other Third World countries came together to form a Fair Trade collective under Liberation Foods’ umbrella.
National Nut Day appeared in 2015 on Liberation Foods website. Although Liberation Foods is based in the United Kingdom, this holiday has spread far and wide, especially in the United States. National Nut Day is devoted to all things Nuts-related including recipes and cooking tips. Many African Countries infuse their daily meals with Peanuts on a regular basis in Stews and Soups.
According to the Nutcracker Museum, Nuts were a regular part of the human diet from as far back as almost 800,000 years ago! Early man used “nutting tools” to crack stones. Pecan remains from 6100 B.C. were discovered in a Texas cave. Early Europeans ate Pistachios while Greeks and Romans believed that Walnuts were a gift from the gods.
Eventually, the English sailed the Mediterranean with Walnuts onboard ships. Walnuts were used for trading. By the 18th Century, Walnuts arrived in the New World, specifically, California, when the Franciscan Monks set foot on these new shores.
No matter what you eat today; include Nuts. Nuts have lots of health benefits.Nuts make us happy. That’s important to remember on National Nut Day!
National Nut Day Activities
- Store bought Nut Butter is so 2000 and late. Grab your favorite Nut, toss them in a food processor, and add Sweetener (if desired) and grab a knife to spread the goodness, or eat it by the spoonful.
- Want to brighten up someone’s day at work? Buy a family-size container of mixed Nuts at your local market and make snack-sized goodie bags for your coworkers. An inexpensive treat many will go Nuts for. Make sure no one has Peanut allergies.
- Try grabbing a handful of your favorite Nut and add them to your Oatmeal, Chicken Salad, or that Veggie stir-fry you’re making for dinner. The added protein will make your stomach and muscles happy.
Why We Love National Nut Day
- Nuts come in different shapes and sizes and no matter what your preference is, there’s a vast variety of Nuts to suit our taste buds. Nuts can be teardrop- shaped Almonds to the wrinkly Walnuts. Taste your choice!
- Nuts are delicious and nutritious. Creamy and dreamy when consumed and Nuts also deliver a punch of nutrition. Almonds are rich in protein, calcium and vitamin E, while all nuts provide large amounts of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
- We all get hungry, but it’s always easy to make time for a full meal. What do we do in situations like these? NUTS is what we reach for because we can grab a handful of Nuts for a guiltless snack that keeps our tummies happy in the short-term.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
