Are you tired of the same old, boring snacks? Are you looking for a way to boost your health and wellness without sacrificing taste?

Look no further than the humble hazelnut!

These small, round nuts pack a powerful punch when it comes to nutrition and health benefits.

From improving heart health to fighting cancer, hazelnuts are a true superfood that should not be overlooked.

And the best part? They’re delicious!

In this blog post, we’ll uncover the secret health benefits of hazelnuts and provide you with creative and tasty ways to include them in your diet.

So, if you’re ready to take your snack game to the next level and give your health a boost, read on to discover the many benefits of hazelnuts!

Hazelnuts around the world:

Hazelnuts are among the Betulaceae family and go by the Latin name: Corylus avellana and contain eleven different species. (1)

The top producers of hazelnuts are Azerbaijan, Italy, the USA, and mostly Turkey which combined provide more than 90% of the worldwide production. (2)

This nut grows on trees that can reach up to 25ft (8 meters), with circular leaves that have serrated edges.

Even though you would think that all hazelnuts are the same, but there are many different types including European hazelnuts and American hazelnuts.

The hazelnut tree is native to the northern hemisphere in temperate zones in regions that have cool summers and mild winters. (3)

Usually, those regions are near the beaches and in coastlines such as Turkey (Black Sea), Spain (Atlantic Ocean), and Oregon in the United States (Pacific Ocean).

Most of the global hazelnut production is in Europe, specifically in Turkey then Italy which accounts for 54% and 14.6% of the hazelnut trade worldwide. (4)

The USA comes in fourth place with 6% of the global exportation of hazelnuts mostly grown in Willamette Oregon.

However, researchers from Canada and America have been working to create a hybrid that can be grown anywhere in North America. (5)

In other words, this project aims to produce large nuts as the Eurasian species but still have the disease and cold tolerance of the North American species.

Hazelnuts health benefits and nutritional values:

Nutritional values:

This data counts for the daily recommended dose of 1 ounce (28g) of raw hazelnuts: (6)

• Calories: 161
• Fibers: 1.9g
• Protein: 3.8g
• Carbs: 11g
• Fat: 11g
• E Vitamin: 14%
• B1 vitamin: 11%
• B5 vitamin: 5%
• B6 vitamin: 7.5%
• B9 vitamin: 30%
• Calcium: 5%
• Iron: 7.5%
• Phosphorus: 20%
• Potassium: 9%
• Magnesium: 7%
• Zinc: 7%
• Manganese: 73%
• Copper: 47%

Health benefits:

These nuts blend well with almost any recipe which is why there are many ways to use their delicate flavor.

For instance, it can be a topping for toasts, or it can be the main flavor of a cake, chocolate, coffee, or any kind of hot drink.

You can also enjoy snacking on raw hazelnuts while chilling and watching an evening movie!

We have many different ways of consuming this delicate nut.

However, few people know the health benefits that we are bringing to our bodies by eating it!

Here is our collection of the amazing health benefits of hazelnuts:

May prevent cancer:

Hazelnuts are very rich in vitamin E, a nutrient essential for the regeneration of new cells and assessing the immunity system.

Recent studies show that consuming hazelnuts regularly may help protect against the spread of cancerous cells especially in the case of bladder cancer. (7)

In the same manner, they are also rich in manganese with more than 70% in just a handful.

This mineral can positively influence the function of certain enzymes facing oxidative stress. (8)

Increases muscle mass:

Usually, when you think of the specific nutrient responsible for muscle mass and growth,the first thing that pops in your mind is probably: protein.

Well, you’re not wrong at all!

Hazelnut are also a good source of protein which makes them ideal for muscle nutrition.

When someone is working to improve muscle mass in the body, it is not just about the physical effort that creates the volume of the muscles.

In fact, any changes in the body are only 20% affected by physical activity and the other 80% comes from nutrition. (9)

In that same logic, muscular growth is mostly thanks to proteins we consume.

Promotes heart health:

By eating hazelnuts you will be helping your body in the action of reducing bad cholesterol in the blood. (10)

As a result, your body would have a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Also, this nut is rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, dietary fiber, magnesium, and potassium which all combined helps regulate blood pressure.

Stimulates the nerve system:

Another benefit is their ability to provide our nerves with the nutrients needed to improve the memory. (11)

For example, just a handful of hazelnuts contains more than 10% of vitamin B6.

This vitamin is a chemical bond between neurotransmitters that positively affects sleeping and mood.

Rejuvenates the skin:

The same vitamin E that gives hazelnuts their effectiveness against cancer, is also very nutritious for the skin to protect it against sun radiations. (12)

With more than 30% of vitamin E in just a handful, consuming such nuts will give a better chance to your body to fight the signs of aging.

A good source of B vitamins:

Another health virtue found in hazelnuts is that they can help lose excess weight and maintain a healthy body. (13)

B vitamins plays an essential role in accelerating the metabolism and physical activity which results in burning fats.

A great source of antioxidants:

Antioxidants are among the most essential nutrients the body needs.

Any lack of antioxidants results in less oxygen reaching body cells.

As a consequence, this will create a favorable environment for diseases to spread.

In fact, this case creates a domino effect which means that if a cell is affected and doesn’t have enough oxygen it will have weaker immunity and it will infect its surroundings, and so on… (14)

Thanks to the many antioxidants in hazelnuts, consuming them will provide the body cells with more oxygen and prevent the spread of any infections.

Smoothens the digestion:

Hazelnuts are rich in magnesium which stimulates the production of enzymes that helps during the digestion process.

Also, their high content of dietary fibers can maintain colon health and prevents constipation.

Other possible hazelnuts benefits:

In ancient times, people in the Americas used hazelnuts in many recipes in their daily lives, as they believed in its health virtues.

Among the ancient people’s uses we mention:

• Hazelnut oil as aromatherapy for muscle massage.
• Adding hazelnut to the tea will make a healthy drink that helps cures skin infections.
• As an excellent dressing for any dish and mostly salads since it is edible.
• Grind it and use it as a topical compound to speed up wound healing, protect the skin from the sun and moisturize it.

Hazelnuts are a literally treasure given to us by nature for free!

Perhaps it didn’t get many credits as the rest of the nuts within the same family such as walnuts, almonds, etc.…

We totally recommend you include more of these nuts in your diet as a replacement for conventional nuts since they have all of these health benefits and more.

Cooking with hazelnuts:

Cooking using hazelnuts can be very satisfying as these nuts seduce with their crunchiness texture and their intense nutty flavor.

Because of that, they can be used for any type of dish be it savory, sweet and can be that secret ingredient that will keep everyone tuned to your dishes.

In addition, you can enjoy this nut alone or with other fruits as a flavorful snack.

To make hazelnut butter: roast hazelnuts in the oven then blend them with a little vegetable oil.

If you want, you can add other oilseeds (sunflower, sesame…) or even lemon, cocoa, or honey.

This hazelnut butter can be a good replacement for peanut butter or any other oilseed butter.

To roast them: Place the hazelnuts in an oven preset at 350°F (180°C) for about 10 minutes.

Sweet recipes:

When you feel like you want to snack on something healthy, try eating a green apple with a few hazelnuts.

They make a really healthy snack that makes you feel full and nurture your body.

Try adding chopped hazelnuts to your daily morning cereal or sprinkle them on ice cream or yogurt.

You can also stuff apples with dried blueberries or grapes, honey, and hazelnuts then bake them in the oven.

Use ground hazelnuts to add flavor to your cakes, pancakes, or muffins.

In savory:

• Vegetable cream: Prepare a vegetable cream of your choice, then decorate it with chopped roasted hazelnuts.
• Two-cheese appetizer: Mix Brie cheese with cream cheese, then add grated apple and ground roasted hazelnuts to the mix. You can then use the mixture as a topping for slices of bread.
• Sauce: Blend hazelnuts with oil (preferably use hazelnut oil), fresh herbs (basil, parsley, coriander, oregano…), and dried apricots. You can serve the resulted smooth mixture on grilled vegetables.
• Rice Pilaf: dry roast rice, then fry chopped onions, add slices of mushrooms, chopped hazelnuts, roasted rice, broth and mix them well before you place them in the oven for 1 hour.
  You can then use it to stuff a chicken, or just serve it as a dish on its own with grated cheese on top.
• Instead of breadcrumbs: Whether you are frying fish or vegetables (eggplants for example), put them first in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finish with ground hazelnuts before you start frying.
• Hazelnut powder: When you’re frying scallops, you can just simply roll them in hazelnut powder before frying them for 3 minutes on each side.
  This same hazelnut powder can garnish chicken as you can slip it under its skin before cooking to add a special touch that no one will guess!

Storing hazelnuts:

Hazelnuts can be consumed dried or fresh and combine well with pastries and chocolates.

If you purchase them with their involucres intact, you must remove them as they risk molding and then store them in a cool place away from light. (15)

By doing that, you can store them for a couple of months just make sure to stir them every now and then to ensure they are well ventilated.

Other preservation methods can be by making oil or liqueur from the hazelnuts as the extracts have a longer lifespan.

Hazelnut ice cream can remain fresh for up to 12 month in a freezer.

Buying hazelnuts:

When you are buying fresh hazelnuts that are still in their green husk, try to shake them and if you don’t hear anything, it’s a good sign!

In fact, when the kernel dries it shrinks in size, and by shaking the nut, it hits against the walls of the husk which creates the noise. (16)

If that happens, it means that the nut inside is dry and the fruit has gone rancid.

Drying usually means that the inside fruit of hazelnut has been in contact with air, which is why you need to make sure that the husk has no cracks or holes.

Hazelnuts possible side effects:

Usually, consuming hazelnuts in moderate amounts is safe for the majority of people.

However, it may affect certain groups of people such as pregnant women and people who have allergies.

Especially those who suffer from hazelnut allergy they can experience severe allergic reactions such as: respiratory problems including shortness of breath.

Pregnant women and breastfeeding moms:

Even for women after and before labor, consuming hazelnuts in moderate amounts is generally safe.

The only concern is there is no medical evidence to confirm the safety of hazelnuts for this group of women.

People who suffer/suffered from kidney stones:

When someone is dealing with the pain of kidney stones or even has dealt with it by medicines or surgery, it is better to eat a diet free of oxalates. (17)

Oxalates are the origin of urinary stones (urinary lithiasis) and can be found in foods including pistachios, almonds, and hazelnuts, or even in oilseeds.

Therefore, such people must stay away from oxalate sources such as oleaginous nuts to prevent further complications.

People with allergies:

Even though it is relatively difficult to know if someone has a hazelnut allergy but usually, people with allergies to brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and peanuts are most likely allergic to hazelnuts as well.

An allergy to hazelnuts usually causes many symptoms to appear including:

• Conjunctivitis of the eyes (pink eyes).
• Hives, rash, and eczema appearing on the skin.
• Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and feeling nauseous.
• Runny nose and coughing.
• Swelling of the face, tongue, lips
• In severe cases, it could cause an Anaphylactic shock which comes with a blockage of breath and in this case, a doctor should be consulted immediately. (18)
• Allergy to hazelnuts causes certain symptoms to appear, of which we mention the following: Angioedema: swelling of the lips, tongue, and face, called angioedema. (19)

 

 

 

References:

(1): Hazel (Corylus avellana) – British Trees – Woodland Trust
(2): World Hazelnut Production by Country – AtlasBig.com
(3): Types of Hazelnuts (arborday.org)
(4): INVENTORY OF HAZELNUT RESEARCH, GERMPLASM AND REFERENCES (fao.org)
(5): ADVANCES IN HAZELNUT RESEARCH IN NORTH AMERICA | International Society for Horticultural Science (ishs.org)
(6): Raw hazelnuts nutrition facts and analysis. (nutritionvalue.org)
(7): Vitamin E Reduces Superficial Bladder Cancer Recurrence: A Randomized Controlled Trial – PMC (nih.gov)
(8): Battles with Iron: Manganese in Oxidative Stress Protection – PMC (nih.gov)
(9): Is Nutrition More Important Than Exercise? (verywellfit.com)
(10): Effects of Hazelnut Consumption on Blood Lipids and Body Weight: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis – PMC (nih.gov)
(11): Hazelnut and neuroprotection: Improved memory and hindered anxiety in response to intra-hippocampal Aβ injection – PubMed (nih.gov)
(12): Health Benefits of Hazelnuts: Why Hazelnuts are Good for Health and Skin | Northwest Hazelnut Company
(13): Hazelnuts & Weightloss – Here’s What You Need to Know – Ayoub’s Dried Fruits & Nuts (ayoubs.ca)
(14): Antioxidants, Oxidative Damage and Oxygen Deprivation Stress: a Review – PMC (nih.gov)
(15): Storing Hazelnuts (lesliebeck.com)
(16): Hazelnuts: Trivia, Buying Guide, Hazelnuts Production – TexasRealFood
(17): Soluble and insoluble oxalate content of nuts – Nuthealth.org
(18): Anaphylactic Shock: Symptoms, Causes, Risks, Treatments & More (healthline.com)
(19): Angioedema | nidirect