Nuts about English walnuts Read all about how a crop of English walnuts gets from tree to table. By Keely Parrack Dec. 04, 2007, 12:00 a.m. ET ...

English walnuts have a thinner shell, more easily broken than the black variety, which has a more pungent flavor. The white walnut is sweeter but not as easy to find.

English walnut oil is particularly rich (10 to 12 percent) in linolenic acid, some of which is converted by body enzymes into a heart-healthful omega-3 fatty acid.

In 2009, the in-shell value of English walnuts was 85 cents per pound in California, according to the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture.

Sutter County crop reports show in 2010, English walnuts were valued at $71 million, with a total production of 40,258 tons. In 2011, the production was 60,281 tons and valued at $144 million.

Commercially grown and having a very thin shell, English walnuts are preferred by most people for out-of-hand eating. The black walnut shell is extremely hard and can only be breached with a hammer.

Walnuts are a tree nut that originated some 7,000 years ago where Iran is today. They are grown in many countries, but the United States, China, Iran, Chile and Ukraine are the top producers globally.