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Like most civilized people, we prefer not to think too often or too hard about our intestinal health. But when our guts ache—either from a case of traveler's flu or an ill-advised trip to the sushi buffet—it's all we can think about.

Lately we've heard experts suggesting black walnuts as a natural alternative to good old Pepto. Which raises a few questions: First, how can any naturally occurring nut replace the glorious chemical elixir we all know as The Pink Stuff? And second, um, what's a black walnut anyway?

Here's what we have learned: The kernels of black walnuts, which contain essential fatty acids (yes, they are rich in the much-lauded omega 3s), are beneficial in their own right. But it's the husks or hulls—the outer shells—that are beloved by the alternative medicine and GNC set. They're typically sold in oils, tinctures, powders, and capsules.

These husks are an antifungal. Ingesting them is not like huffing a can of Tough Actin' Tinactin, though they do share some_ _of the same properties. Philadelphia dietitian Theresa Shank tells us that they're "thought to help treat parasitic infections of the gut, tapeworm, pinworm, hookworm and candida yeast overgrowth, which is commonly associated with intestinal disorders such as IBS and leaky gut syndrome."

Now, don't go eating a bunch of nut husks every day just so you can tailgate every weekend with Cool Ranch Doritos and five-alarm chili. "Short-term therapeutic use of black walnut can be very beneficial, says Becky Andrews, an Austin-based naturopathic physician, "but long-term use can cause irritation to stomach and intestinal membranes."

Andrews recommends packing black walnut oil if you're traveling out of the country or going camping. In those cases, the antifungal properties can help with Montezuma's Revenge in ways Pepto can't. "Black walnut can actually help kill the bugs and bacteria," she says. "Pepto just calms it down."

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