What Makes Them Healthy Hazelnuts?

Hazelnuts are a high-quality source of protein and fiber for starters. They also have a bunch of antioxidants such as vitamin E and many phytonutrients that help the immune system.

Not only that, but of all the tree nuts, hazelnuts have the highest concentration of folate. Why is that so great?

Well, folate is a water soluble B vitamin that is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth. For instance, it reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects.

In addition, both children and adults require folic acid to produce healthy red blood cells and prevent anemia. Folate is also thought to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.  That makes them healthy hazelnuts indeed!

A Hazelnut By Any Other Name

Hazelnuts are also known as filberts, which is actually the correct name for the tree and nut. It’s of French origin and the tree was likely first introduced into the US by early French settlers.

However, hazelnut is the name coined by the English and it was applied to the native species by early settlers.  Nowadays, hazelnut is more commonly used term for these nuts.

The How And Where Of Hazelnut Growth

Hazelnuts are shaped a lot like acorns and grow on bushy trees.  The main producers of hazelnuts are France, Spain, Turkey and Italy.  In the United States, most hazelnuts are grown in Oregon and Washington.

They’ve been a food source for a long time, and are thought to have originated in Asia. There are Chinese manuscripts from 5,000 years ago that refer to the healthy hazelnut as a sacred food from heaven.

They have a rich flavor and work well in baked goods. Hazelnuts are also one of the main ingredients in Nutella spread, besides making hazelnut butter, meal, flour, paste and oil.

Heavenly Hazelnuts Are Healthy Hazelnuts

Besides being a great tasting food, hazelnuts have great health benefits.

• Hazelnut oil was used in ancient times to help quiet chronic coughs.
• Used externally, hazelnut oil is also thought to help rid the skin of cellulite.
• Hazelnuts are a rich source of the amino acid arginine that relaxes blood vessels.
• Eating hazelnuts have been found to help lower cholesterol levels, as they contain nearly 75 percent mono-unsaturated fat and less than 4 percent saturated fat.
• Hazelnuts have the highest proanthocyanidin content of any tree nut. These compounds may help reduce the risk of blood clotting and urinary tract infections.

The Many Ways To Enjoy Hazelnuts

There are many ways to incorporate hazelnuts into your diet. You can snack on the whole or cracked nuts.  Along with diced nuts, they can be used in baked goods, entrees, salads, soups, cereals, bars, toppings, and even dairy products.

Hazelnut meal is finely ground and free flowing. It can be used to replace flour in baked goods, fillings and sauces, and even in ice cream. It’s especially good to use to make low carb foods, and is of course, excellent for use in health foods!

Even More Ways To Enjoy Healthy Hazelnut Benefits!

Hazelnut butter is similar to natural peanut butter, being made of finely ground hazelnuts and unsweetened. Not only does it add a special flavor, it adds protein to replace some carbohydrates, making it also good for low carb and health foods. An interesting side effect of using hazelnut butter with recipes containing chocolate is that it lowers the melting point of chocolate and makes the texture creamier.

Hazelnut paste is much the same as hazelnut butter, only besides the finely ground hazelnuts, it also has sugar added. It’s spreadable, but grainy. It is often used in bakery icings and fillings, confectionery, and dairy products.

Healthy Hazelnuts Add Pizazz To Your Diet!

A great tasting nut with a lot of uses, hazelnuts are also full of nutrients that are great for your body. You can’t go wrong with hazelnuts!

Post from: Health Food Made Easy

Go Nuts For Healthy Hazelnuts!

The type of traditional foods varies from family to family, but most people have them. However, there are also food specific holidays.  Some are for only a day, some are for a week, and some last a whole month.

June Food Holidays

For instance, June is:

• National Dairy Month
• National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month
• National Iced Tea Month
• National Papaya Month
• National Seafood Month
• National Papaya Month
• National Candy Month

Wow!  That’s a whole lot of celebrating food!

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

In honor of National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, I think it’s worth mentioning it’s also time for those wonderful Farmer’s Markets!  They’re a great place to get some fresh fruit and vegetables!

CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) are also starting to produce.  It’s probably too late to join a local CSA, but some may still have openings.

If you’re interested in finding a CSA or Farmer’s Market, check out Local Harvest website.  It has a wealth of information, and will help you find the closest Farmer’s Market’s, CSA’s, family farms and organic food.

June 1st Is National Hazelnut Cake Day

Today’s specific holiday is National Hazelnut Cake Day.  There’s a recipe for Norwegian Hazelnut Cake over at All Recipes that’s got a lot of rave reviews.  Cake may not be what most people think of health food, but it sure makes a nice treat once in a while.

There’s also a recipe for a Hazelnut-Espresso Coffeecake in the King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains cookbook.  If you’re interested in baking with whole grains, it’s a HUGE cookbook (over 600 pages!) with all kinds of goodies in there made with whole grain goodness.

Every day’s a good day to celebrate with whole grain foods!

Post from: Health Food Made Easy

Food Holidays In June – National Hazelnut Cake Day