Walnut & Other Nut Oils: Nutrients, What Research Shows and Safety

Walnut oil, hazelnut oil and almond oil are pressed from tree nuts: walnuts (Juglans regia), hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) and almonds (Prunus dulcis). They are used in dressings and finishing, and some are used in baking. This page covers the oils as foods and keeps them apart from the whole nuts, from skin products and from hype. For the nuts themselves see our pages on walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts.

Read this first

• Tree nut allergy is the main safety point. Tree nut allergies are often severe and may last for life. [12] If you are allergic to nuts, ask your allergist before using any nut oil. For trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call 911 (or your local emergency number). [16]
• Refined and cold-pressed are not the same. FDA's allergen labeling law does not cover highly refined oils. [15] We did not read a source on how much allergen protein is left in cold-pressed or unrefined nut oils, so do not assume they are safe.
• The best human evidence is small. Three small trials of walnut oil, all from the same research group, reported lower cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar. [4] [5] [6] None of this is proof from large independent trials.
• These oils differ a lot. Walnut oil is mostly polyunsaturated fat. Hazelnut and almond oils are mostly monounsaturated fat and are rich in vitamin E. [1] [2] [3]
• All oils are calorie dense: about 120 kcal in 1 tablespoon (13.6 g). [1]

What is in it (USDA values)

The values below are for walnut oil (USDA FDC 171030), hazelnut oil (FDC 171427) and almond oil (FDC 171031), all SR Legacy. [1] [2] [3] The serving is the USDA household portion of 1 tablespoon, 13.6 g. Serving values are the per-100-g values multiplied by 0.136. Each cell shows per 100 g, then per tablespoon.

% Daily Value uses the FDA 2016 Daily Values; values vary with the nuts, the pressing and the refining. USDA lists no omega-3 (ALA) value for these oil items, so we give none. For plant omega-3 sources see chia, hemp, perilla and walnut oils. USDA also lists vitamin D values for these items that look implausible for oils, so we do not use them. [1] [2] [3]

Plant compounds: USDA lists plant sterols in all three oils. [1] [2] [3] We did not read a source that measured other named compounds in these oils in people.

What research says

The AHA says replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat lowers heart disease. [10] That supports these oils as unsaturated fats; it is not a trial of walnut, hazelnut or almond oil.

Eaten as food vs the whole nut. Most nut research (such as the walnut pooled analysis above) is on whole nuts, which also bring fiber and protein. Oil trials cannot be assumed to give the same results. [9]

How much is a normal serving

The USDA household portion is 1 tablespoon (13.6 g), about 120 kcal. [1] That is information from USDA data, not a prescription. In the trials above, people took 3 g to 15 g a day of walnut oil; that describes how the studies were designed, not advice. [4] [5] [6] WHO advises total fat of 30% or less of energy and saturated fat of 10% or less. [11]

Safety, allergy and medicines

• Tree nut allergy: tree nut allergies often start in childhood and may last for life, and reactions can be severe. Cross-reactions between nuts are common, especially cashew with pistachio and walnut with pecan. [12] Walnut, hazelnut and almond are all tree nuts. [12] [13]
• Refined vs cold-pressed: the FDA says its allergen labeling law is not enforced for several categories of food, and highly refined oils are among them. [15] Food processing can reduce but not eliminate hazelnut allergen exposure. [13] Oil body proteins called oleosins have been found to be hazelnut allergens in children, and roasting raised their reactivity in one study. [14] We did not read a study of reactions to cold-pressed nut oils, so this question is open. Ask an allergist.
• Emergency: for trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat after eating, call 911 (or your local emergency number). Epinephrine treats anaphylaxis. [16]
• Rancidity and heating: polyunsaturated oils such as walnut oil (63.3 g polyunsaturated per 100 g [1]) are prone to oxidation, and shelf life depends on storage. [18] We did not read a reliable smoke point for any of these oils, so we give none. See smoke points and cooking with oil.
• Authenticity: researchers developed a light-based test to detect cold-pressed walnut oil adulterated with rapeseed, sunflower or soybean oil. [17] Buy from sources you trust, and check allergen labels.
• Vitamin E: hazelnut and almond oil each give more than a third of the Daily Value per tablespoon; walnut oil gives almost none. [1] [2] [3] The NHS says 540 mg a day or less from supplements is unlikely to cause harm; that is about supplements, not oil. [19]
• Medicines, pregnancy, children, kidney disease: we found no source that tests these oils as foods for these groups, so we make no claim. People taking medicine for diabetes or cholesterol should tell their care team before big changes to their diet, because the walnut oil trials were in people with these conditions. [4] [5]

Choosing, storing and food safety

• Keep nut oils cool, dark and tightly closed; use them fresh. Cold-pressed oils keep more unsaturated fat and antioxidants than refined oils, and they oxidize with storage. [18]
• For nut storage and rancidity, see storing nuts and seeds.
• Read allergen statements on labels, and do not rely on "refined" without checking the label.
• Sweet almond oil sold for skin is a different product; see sweet almond oil.

Related pages

• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Nut and seed allergy basics
• Food allergy basics and emergency signs
• Smoke points and cooking with oil