The potassium content is three times that of bananas, and the calcium content is equivalent to that of milk! This "king of nuts" promotes bowel movements and protects cardiovascular health. It's the perfect time to eat it now.

When it comes to nuts, what do you think of? Melon seeds, pistachios, cashews, almonds, walnuts... Eating some nuts while watching TV series or making tea around the stove is a great way to enjoy the meal.

Among many nuts, hazelnuts stand out for their unique flavor and nutritional value. As the "king of nuts", hazelnuts not only taste mellow, but also contain rich nutrients and have many benefits to health.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

The origin and varieties of hazelnut

Hazelnut is the fruit of the plant of the genus Corylus in the birch family. Its scientific name is just one word, "Hazel". In the Book of Songs written more than 3,000 years ago, there is a sentence "There are hazelnut trees on the mountain and Poria cocos in the low and wet places", which means that there are hazelnut trees on the mountain and Poria cocos in the low and wet places. This is an early written record of hazelnut in ancient China, indicating that hazelnut was already well known to people at that time.

In fact, archaeologists have found a large number of carbonized hazelnut shells and fruits at the Banpo site in Shaanxi, dating back more than 6,000 years, indicating that people at that time had already started eating hazelnuts. In Europe, the history of eating hazelnuts is even longer. Archaeologists have found a large number of hazelnut shells with burn marks and a history of more than 9,000 years on a small island in Greenland.

There are many varieties of hazelnuts. The representative varieties in China are hairy hazelnuts and flat hazelnuts, which are extremely cold-resistant and mainly distributed in northern regions such as Northeast China, North China, and Inner Mongolia. However, most of these hazelnuts have thick skins and small kernels, making them difficult to peel without tools. The European hazelnuts are very different. They are large in size, thin in skin, and easy to eat. However, because they prefer a warm environment (13-15℃), they are not very suitable for the main hazelnut growing areas in my country.

Therefore, our country began to study the hybridization of Chinese and European hazelnut varieties in the 1980s, and cultivated the European-Chinese hybrid hazelnut in the late 1990s. After 2000, this variety was introduced and cultivated in more than 20 provinces and regions in my country. The European-Chinese hybrid hazelnut combines the advantages of European hazelnut and European hazelnut, is cold-resistant, and is suitable for an average annual temperature of 7.5 to 13°C. In addition, the kernel of the hybrid hazelnut is large, the skin is thin, and the yield is high.

Nutritional value of hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are known as the "king of nuts" for a reason. Whether among nuts or compared with other foods, hazelnuts are among the best in terms of nutritional value and health benefits. The more prominent nutrients include monounsaturated fatty acids, protein, calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and antioxidants .

1. Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, comparable to olive oil

Hazelnuts are oily nuts and contain a lot of oil, with 57.3g of fat per 100g. Among them, the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids is over 74%, which is comparable to the proportion of olive oil.

Source: Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022 Edition)

Monounsaturated fatty acids help regulate blood lipids and reduce the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, polyunsaturated fatty acids can improve memory, judgment, and improve the optic nerve.

2. High in minerals, including calcium content comparable to milk and potassium three times that of bananas

Hazelnuts are an all-round nutritional powerhouse. Depending on the variety and processing method, the calcium content per 100g ranges from more than 80 to more than 800 mg.

In the Chinese Food Composition Table, there are data on 4 types of hazelnuts, namely:

The calcium content of pure milk is 107mg/100g, and the calcium content of formula milk is generally above 78mg/100g. Therefore, the calcium content of hazelnuts is comparable to that of milk, and the calcium content of roasted hazelnuts is about 8 times that of milk.

In addition to calcium, hazelnuts are also high in potassium. The potassium content of hazelnuts is as high as 600~1200mg per 100g, which is 3~6 times that of bananas, which are rich in potassium. Potassium is very good for stabilizing blood pressure and heart health.

3. Vitamin E and B6 are among the highest in food

Hazelnuts are not only rich in minerals, but also in vitamins, especially vitamin E and vitamin B6.

It is well known that nuts are a good source of vitamin E, and the vitamin E content in hazelnuts ranks among the highest among nuts, with 23.9 mg in every 100g of hazelnuts. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from free radical damage and delays aging.

Vitamin B6 is mainly found in white meat (such as chicken and fish), animal liver and whole grains. However, the vitamin B6 content in hazelnuts is higher than that in tuna and chicken breast, with 0.6 mg per 100g, which is also a good helper for our daily vitamin B6 supplementation. Vitamin B6 has many important functions, including participating in important links such as energy metabolism and hematopoiesis, maintaining the normal function of the immune and nervous systems, preventing cardiovascular diseases, etc., and is essential to human health.

Source: Encyclopedia of Chinese Nutrition Science (Second Edition)

4. Excellent dietary fiber, most fruits and vegetables are not as good as it

Hazelnuts are rich in dietary fiber, with 9.6g of insoluble dietary fiber per 100g of hazelnuts. This content is far beyond the reach of most vegetables and fruits, as most fruits contain less than 2g of insoluble dietary fiber per 100g. Insoluble dietary fiber absorbs water and swells in the intestines, increasing the volume of stool and softening the stool, thus facilitating smooth bowel movements and preventing constipation.
In addition to insoluble dietary fiber such as cellulose, hazelnuts also contain a small amount of soluble dietary fiber such as oligosaccharides and polysaccharides, so hazelnuts are also a low-glycemic index food comparable to beans . In addition, soluble dietary fiber can also lower cholesterol levels and protect cardiovascular health.

5. Rich in antioxidants, proanthocyanidins are higher than red wine

In addition to vitamin E, hazelnuts also contain other antioxidants, such as proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, polyphenols, etc. Every 100g of hazelnuts contains 490.8mg of proanthocyanidins, which is 1.7 times that of red wine and 2.4 times that of plums.

These antioxidants can help the body remove free radicals and protect cells from damage, thereby helping to delay aging and prevent disease.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

Making hazelnuts good for your health

Pay attention to these 4 points

1

Prefer the original flavor with shell

Shelled hazelnut kernels are exposed to less oxygen and are easier to preserve and have a longer shelf life than completely peeled ones.

In addition, the salt content of flavored hazelnuts is high, which will increase the sodium intake. It is best to choose the original flavor. Look at the ingredient list and choose products with only hazelnuts as an ingredient. In addition, you can smell whether there is a rancid smell. If there is a rancid smell for a long time, the oil has oxidized and deteriorated.

2

Sealed and dry storage

Because half of hazelnuts are fat, and most of them are unsaturated fatty acids, they are easily oxidized and produce a rancid smell when exposed to air, so be sure to seal them in time each time you take them out.

In addition, moisture helps the growth of microorganisms, so try to place it in a dark and dry area.

3

Don't eat too much, 7 to 14 capsules per day

Hazelnuts are oily nuts with high calories, 100g has more than 600 kcal. So although hazelnuts are good, don't eat too much, or you'll gain weight.

The Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend that 50g to 70g of nuts per week, or 10g per day, is enough. The weight of a hazelnut kernel is about 0.7g to 1.5g. If you only eat hazelnuts and no other nuts today, you can eat 14 small ones and 7 large ones.

4

If you are allergic to hazelnuts, please avoid this place

Hazelnuts are common nuts that are prone to allergies. For example, they are the main cause of nut allergies in Europe. However, most people will not have any reaction to hazelnuts, but if you are allergic to peanuts, cashews, walnuts, birch pollen, etc., you may also be allergic to hazelnuts. When eating, eat a small amount to see if there is any reaction. If you are allergic, in addition to not eating hazelnuts, it is best not to eat cakes, cookies, chocolates, and ice cream that contain hazelnuts.

In general, hazelnuts are highly nutritious and good for cardiovascular health. After reading this, do you feel that you have neglected hazelnuts and are ready to buy some to eat?

References

[1] Plant Intelligence of China. Hazel. https://www.iplant.cn/info/%E6%A6%9B

[2] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[3] Chinese Nutrition Society. Encyclopedia of Chinese Nutrition Science, 2nd Edition (Volume 1). People's Medical Publishing House, 2019

[4] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022 Edition). People’s Medical Publishing House, 2022

[5] Ma Qinghua, Yang Zhen, Jiang Lei, et al. Current status of cultivated hazelnut in the world and its introduction and utilization in my country[J]. Journal of Plant Genetic Resources, 2023, 24(03): 599-614.

[6]Calamelli E, Trozzo A, Di Blasi E, Serra L, Bottau P. Hazelnut Allergy. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Jan 14;57(1):67. doi: 10.3390/medicina57010067. PMID: 33466577; PMCID: PMC7828647.

Planning and production

Author: Li Chun, registered nutritionist

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center

Planning丨Zhong Yanping

Editor: Zhong Yanping

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin