Hazelnuts properties

Contents

1 Hazelnuts nutritional and medicinal benefits

Hazelnuts nutritional and medicinal benefits

What are hazelnuts?

Photo of roasted unshelled hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are the fruits of common hazel (Corylus avellana). They are included within the nuts.

They consist of an oval hard shell. In its interior, there is the edible nut.

This fruit, in its natural state, is slightly whitish brown, but if, it’s fried or roasted, it shows a more intense brown color.

They have an intense flavor, and a crunchy and pasty texture.

What are the main nutrients of hazelnuts? Composition of hazelnuts

As an energy source, 100 grams of hazelnuts give us 628 calories.

Their proportion of nutrients is divided into:

More than 5% is water.
More than 60% is fat.
Over 15%, proteins.
Close to 17%, carbohydrates.
Almost 10%, fiber.

Minerals in hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, but they also contain calcium and iron.

Vitamins in hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are rich in vitamin E, but they also provide us with vitamin A, vitamin C and B vitamins, such as vitamin B1 and vitamin B2.

Photo of dry shelled hazelnuts

Nutritional characteristics of hazelnuts

They have a very low water content, since they are dried fruits.
They give us a lot of energy in the form of calories, which help us maintain our vitality. Although we do not generally consume 100 grams of dried fruit, but the portions are about 20 grams.
They contain a lot of fat, with unsaturated high quality and very beneficial to health.
They have a significant content in protein.
They are high in carbohydrates, especially starches.
They contain a lot of fiber.
Drawings of hazelnuts (More food drawings)
They help to remove toxins from our body, because of their potassium.
They help keep the proper brain functions, because they contains phosphorus. In addition, together with calcium, they can keep the balance of the formation of strong bones.
Because of their magnesium content, they are needed for the contraction and relaxation of muscles.
Their manganese content helps us keep in proper state our brain function and they protect us from respiratory infections.
For its vitamin B1 and B2, they aid to get energy, proteins and carbohydrates, and maintain our defenses.
They protect us from toxins and aging, because they are high in vitamin E, vitamin A and vitamin C.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF HAZELNUTS

What are hazelnuts useful for?

Main curative properties of hazelnuts

Hazelnuts contain a lot of vitamin E

Hazelnuts are rich in vitamin E, which is an antioxidant which prevents aging and seeks a satisfactory condition of the skin.

Hazelnut, a very caloric oily fruit for cardiovacular diseases

Hazelnut fat content is high, as most nuts, having a very high caloric power. Very useful for those who need an extra of energy, specially in those cold days of winter or when doing hard work.

Among the fats content of this fruit, we must underline its richness in oleic acid, (Omega 9) so, unlike that fat supplied by most of the foods of animal origin, they are unsaturated fats, very suitable for lowering the level of cholesterol.

Omega 9 is very important for cardiovascular health

Hazelnuts to keep bones healthy

Hezelnuts are very rich in minerals, especially magnesium, manganese, potassium and calcium, for optimal conservation of our bones

Hazelnuts for pregnant women

This fruit also contains a lot of folate, an element that prevents malformations in fetuses and the lack of which leads to intestinal disorders or prematurely gray hair.

Hazelnuts to regulate blood sugar levels

Hazelnuts are very rich in manganese, a mineral that acts on insulin, making it more profitable for our body. In this way eating this fruit, can help us to regulate our sugar levels.

Hazelnuts to become wise

Hazelnuts, according to Irish tradition, became a symbol of wisdom. They believe that it conveyed this property to people who eat them.

Probably, its high wealth in phosphorus can justify part of this legend.

Peculiar traditional uses of hazelnut tree

Water or metal seekers often used a branch of this tree so that guide them in their search.

The parasitic mistletoe that grows on the branches of hazel is considered that protects against the arts of witchcraft.

Composition of hazelnuts compared with other winter fruits by each 100 gr.
	Oranges	Quinces	Dry figs	Hazelnuts
Water	86.7 gr.	83 ‘ 8 gr.	30,05gr	5,31gr
Calories	47	57	249 kcal	628 gr.
Fat	0.94 gr.	0.4 gr.	0,93 gr.	14.95 gr.
Protein	11,75	15.4 gr.	3.30 gr.	16.70 gr.
Carbohydrates	0, 12gr	0.1 gr.	63.87 gr.	60.75 gr.
Fiber	2,4	1.9 gr.	9.8 gr.	9.7 gr.
Calcium	40 mg	11 mg	162 mg	114 mg
Potassium	181 mg	197 mg	680 mg	680 mg
Iron	0,10	0.7 mg	2.03 mg	4.7 mg
Magnesium	10 mg		68 mg	163 mg
Manganese				6.175 mg
Phosphorus	11 mg	17 mg	67 mg	290 mg
Sodium	0	4 mg	10 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	205	40 UI	10 IU	40 IU
VitaminB1 (Thiamin)	0,0 87mg	0.02 mg	0.085 mg	0.643 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.040 mg	0.03 mg	0.082mgs	0.113 mg
Vitamin C	53.2 mg	15 – 20 mg	1.2 mg	6.3 mg
Vitamin E			0,35 mg	15.8 mg