They’re the favorite in jars of mixed nuts. They only make the best coffee creamer ever. They’re great for a snack, to crumble over a salad, or to incorporate in certain meals. They’re nutritious, taste amazing, and just about everyone loves them. They’re hazelnuts. Here’s the skinny on this great nut.
Where they grow
Hazelnuts need warmth, and not too much cold. There are a lot of places on Earth like that, but the nuts grow best in two places: Turkey and Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Americans largely think they grow all their own food. Many would be startled to learn that Turkey grows peaches, too, and a great many other foods Americans think exclusively theirs. Hazelnuts are one of them.
Health advantages of hazelnuts:
Weight loss
Many health problems today are, if not caused by, then related to overweight and obesity. A good example of this is heart disease. Hazelnuts help with weight loss by giving the metabolism a shot in the arm, so to speak. They’re packed with fiber and good fats as well. These aid in the management of hunger by craving control. Hazelnuts also give you lots of energy, which helps to burn calories. The result of all these good things is weight loss.
Heart health
Hazelnuts are rich in fiber, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals flush out the arteries for the better flow of blood. The good fats in hazelnuts also flush bad cholesterol out of the body. The antioxidants and amino acids further aid the heart in being at its peak.
Diabetes control
There are studies showing that the lack of or low levels of potassium, perhaps along with phosphorus and magensium hinder the release of insulin into the body. This means the intake of food turning into sugar in the body isn’t broken up by enough insulin. The sugars can’t go into the fat cells to use for energy. They sit in the bloodstream, causing glucose levels to rise. This is bad news for a diabetic. A handful of hazelnuts each day can prevent this problem.
Brain health
Hazelnuts provide good fats (Omega-3, to be precise) and amino acids along with Vitamins E and K, thiamine, and selenium. These last improve memory, while the first provides for the growth of healthy brain cells.
Also notable in hazelnuts is manganese, which is used in bone health, keeps cells from being damaged, and gives us a healthy immune system. Vitamin B6 aids the immune system as well as preventing anemia.
How to enjoy hazelnuts?
Now that you know the nutrients in hazelnuts and their health benefits, it’s time to talk about eating them. Health experts tell us to eat them with the skin on although the taste is a tad bitter. The sweet nut inside the skin can be eaten right off the tree, roasted, toasted, ground, or slivered.
Lots of people make their own trail mix using various nuts, dried fruits, and grains like cereals. Hazelnuts would make an excellent contribution to a homemade trail mix. They can be ground to add to yogurts, ice cream, cereals like oatmeal and cream of wheat. They make a lovely topper to bowls of fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and peaches.
Salad bars feature containers of chopped or ground nuts as toppers. Grains such as rice, risotto, and quinoa benefit from the sweet, nutty flavor of hazelnuts. Meat dishes like fish and lamb are more hearty for the addition of nuts during cooking. Toss a handful into a pan of green beans with onions and potatoes. Halve Brussels sprouts, and bake them with bacon bits and ranch dressing. Top them off with ground or chopped hazelnuts for a smoky, nutty flavor.
Sweets are everyone’s favorite foods. Top your puddings with ground or chopped hazelnuts. Add them to chocolate no-bake cookies, add them to flaky sweet pastry treats, and don’t forget chocolate Nutella-like spreads. Mangia!
