Good for skin and health, walnuts are our beauty allies. Nutrient-dense and flavorful, they play value-added guests.
“I like nuts. I add them everywhere because they allow me to easily turn a very simple recipe around,” enthuses cooking enthusiast Emily Franzo, who hides behind the main Instagram account @plusunemiette. What does he value in these products? Their taste and the possibility of their use in both savory and sweet preparations. Walnuts also add texture to her pots. “When they crumble, they put in a touch. In purees, they are perfect for adding texture and replacing a fatty substance like butter. In milk, they are ideal for soothing a dish, providing extra indulgence.”
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In search of good fat
The challenge for Emily is finding good nuts. “You have to look at where they’re coming from and buy in bulk. It’s always better to work with raw materials. Especially since all you have to do is roast almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts and stir them for a long time to make a homemade puree. Émilie shares this quality discrepancy with Tania Ezzedine, CEO of Rifai. This Lebanese benchmark brand for dried fruits and nuts has just opened its first French address in Paris.
“In Lebanon, as throughout the Middle East, walnuts are associated with the art of living,” Tania explains. We eat it for all occasions. In appetizers, in seasoned rice, a great family classic, in pastries, in ice cream… That’s why we are so concerned about offering products of excellence. And very attentive to the transformation. We specialize in dry toast, which allows you to toast fruit without adding fat. A process passed down from generation to generation that only three people in the company know about. It requires perfect control of the temperature parameters so that the cooking has smoky notes. It is very different from the fried products available in the market. Our know-how is also in seasoning these nuts. In France, for example, we have almonds with lemon, cashews with thyme, pistachios with chili…”.
Chewable Superfoods:
We do not hesitate to give in to temptation. Because walnuts, in addition to their gluttony assets, are also full of nutritional virtues. True, they are quite high in calories, so they are consumed moderately, but regularly. Indeed, according to Tania Ezzedine, “they’re a powerhouse of good fats, vitamin E, fiber, calcium and magnesium.” According to this enthusiast, peanuts are rich in beta-carotene, which helps regenerate tissues such as the skin.
High in protein, they’re also a great post-workout snack. As for hazelnuts and pecans, and to a lesser extent pistachios, they are sources of monounsaturated fatty acids, i.e. omega-9, which help fight the damaging effects of free radicals on cells and, therefore, their rapid aging. “Among all the dried fruits, Tania continues, walnuts are particularly interesting because they are full of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3, which is considered a heart-healthy fat.”
Another benefit is often put forward. the positive effect of walnuts on brain activity. Studies have shown that they will be good for memory, concentration, comprehension speed. This makes you want to crack open the shell to have a bite to eat.
Source: Le Figaro
