Walnuts are one of the most delicious oilseeds in the world, and Iranian walnuts are considered some of the best walnuts globally, but only if you know how to identify them. In the following, Saeed News will explain how to distinguish Iranian walnuts from other foreign walnuts. Stay with us.
In general, Iranian walnuts are of higher quality than many foreign varieties, with a more delicious taste, higher fat content, and are healthier due to their traditional production methods. While foreign walnuts may have a better and brighter appearance, some of them have undergone genetic modifications, which makes them less nutritious and potentially harmful to human health. However, there are various types of foreign walnuts, and some may be close in quality to Iranian walnuts, but overall, Iranian walnuts are better.
How to distinguish Iranian walnuts from foreign walnuts
Walnuts are one of the most delicious and nutritious oilseeds in the world, with many benefits, and are used in a variety of dishes, desserts, and sweets. Fortunately, Iran is one of the largest walnut producers in the world, offering high-quality walnuts. Unfortunately, some opportunists today sell low-quality Chinese walnuts, which are very similar to Iranian walnuts, under the name of Iranian walnuts. You asked us to explain the differences between the two so you can make an informed decision when buying walnuts. There are methods to distinguish Chinese walnuts from Iranian ones, which we will mention below so you can easily identify pure Iranian walnuts from their inferior counterparts.
Differences between Iranian and Chinese walnuts:
Quality: Chinese walnuts are of much lower quality and yield very little oil, whereas Iranian walnuts are of high quality, and when you press the walnut kernel between your fingers, more oil will come out, indicating better quality.
Price: Chinese walnuts are sold at a lower price because they are not grown with the same attention and care as Iranian walnuts, making them cheaper due to their lower quality.
Skin Color: The lighter the skin of the walnut, the more likely it is to be foreign and imported. Chinese walnuts typically have lighter skins, while Iranian walnuts usually have darker skins unless their skins have been removed and washed.
Size: Chinese walnuts tend to be uniform in size, while Iranian walnuts, being organically produced, may not have uniform size and shape.
Taste: Iranian walnuts have a much better and fresher taste than Chinese ones. They also have a slightly bitter flavor and contain more fat compared to Chinese walnuts.
Weight: If you shake the walnut and it feels heavy, it means the majority of the weight comes from the walnut kernel. Iranian walnuts are heavier, and if you shake them, you will not hear the sound of the shell and kernel hitting each other, unlike Chinese walnuts, which are lighter and make this sound when shaken.
Health Benefits: Iranian walnuts are organic and natural, rich in beneficial minerals like copper, phosphorus, and potassium, and unsaturated fatty acids like omega-3, which help prevent many diseases and offer numerous health benefits.
Shell Type: Most Chinese walnuts are paper-shelled, which means their shells break easily under pressure. Iranian walnuts, even if they are paper-shelled, have thicker skins that may not break easily by hand.
Smell a few walnuts; stale and low-quality walnuts give off an off or unnatural odor.
Fresh and high-quality walnuts have a delicious, bitter taste without any musty or moldy flavors, and when you chew them, you don’t feel excessive bitterness or burning at the back of your throat.
Typically, Iranian walnuts have a better and stronger aroma compared to foreign walnuts.
The fattier the walnut, the better and higher quality it is.
Avoid buying walnuts with yellow spots on them.
If you want delicious, high-quality Iranian walnuts, avoid overly large, uniform walnuts.
Choose walnuts that are perfectly round; elongated or oval walnuts typically have thicker shells and are harder to separate, and they may break easily.
The best and most reliable way to ensure a walnut’s freshness and quality is to buy it from a reputable farmer or vendor.
Despite Iran's significant contribution to walnut production, with 153,000 hectares of land dedicated to walnuts, the country has now fallen victim to the importation of low-quality, counterfeit Chinese walnuts. These inferior walnuts only serve to undermine the hard work of Iranian producers. I hope you found this home care content useful, and feel free to share it with others interested in home care. For more content, you can visit the lifestyle section of Saeed News. Thank you so much for your support!
