Whole Walnut Calories

Keep whole walnuts in their shells in a cool, dry, dark place. Once shelled, store the kernels in an airtight container in the refrigerator; warmth, moisture, and air can make their natural oils turn rancid.

Rancid whole walnuts often smell like paint or stale oil and taste sharply bitter or unpleasant. Discard walnuts that show mold or dampness, too; fresh kernels should smell mild and have a clean, nutty taste.

Yes, walnut kernels freeze well. Seal them in an airtight container to protect their oils from air and absorbing other food odors, then take out only what you need and keep the rest sealed.

No, whole walnuts do not need to be soaked before eating. Soaking softens their texture, but there is no strong evidence that it meaningfully improves their nutrition; refrigerate soaked walnuts rather than leaving them out.

The thin brown skin on a walnut kernel contains tannins, which can give it a slightly bitter, astringent taste. A strong stale-oil smell or unusually harsh bitterness can signal rancidity, in which case discard the walnuts.

No, you do not need to remove the thin brown skin from walnut kernels. It is edible and contributes plant compounds, though its slightly bitter taste is why some people prefer blanched walnuts in recipes.

Both raw and lightly roasted walnuts can be nutritious. Roasting changes their flavor and texture, while prolonged high heat can damage some heat-sensitive compounds; dry-roast them gently if you want a toastier flavor without added oil.

They can help lower LDL cholesterol when their unsaturated fats replace foods rich in saturated fat. Adding walnuts without replacing anything else is less likely to produce that benefit, because it does not change the rest of the diet.

It is best not to give dogs whole walnuts. They can pose a choking risk, and moldy walnuts may contain toxins that make dogs seriously ill; keep walnuts and their shells out of reach.