A handful of natural or roasted hazelnuts a day is enough to enjoy all their benefits. At Christmas, you just need to wrap them in chocolate to create the most desired dessert, and throughout the year they are the star of cookies and cakes. Today, everything about hazelnuts.
Hazelnuts are the most popular autumn fruit during the Christmas holidays. Their flavour enhances the sweetness of chocolate and a handful a day, whether raw or roasted, helps to take care of our cardiovascular health, and immune system and prevent ageing. Their origin is uncertain, which does not prevent them from being enjoyed from Japan to Italy. In Catalonia, their virtues are well known in Reus, where the “Avellana de Reus” with Denomination of Origin is found. Below, everything about this autumn fruit with a chocolatey aroma.
What is a hazelnut?
The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazelnut ( Corylus avellana ), a tree native to Mesopotamia, with a leafy crown that can reach up to 6 metres in height. It grows in temperate zones with an optimum temperature range between 12 ºC and 16 ºC. It prefers soft, deep, and humid soils and is extremely sensitive to drought.
These conditions exist on most continents, allowing us to find hazelnuts of all kinds from Japan to North America, via Austria, Italy, and Spain. The European variety, which is also grown in Turkey and Chile, among others, is the most consumed in the world. In Catalonia, we can taste the Reus hazelnut with a Protected Designation of Origin.
The fruits are oval, with a woody, smooth, cinnamon-colored shell. They are rich in oils, protein, vitamins, and minerals. They are sold in shell or peeled, natural or roasted, although it is the world of confectionery and pastry making that makes the most of their aroma and the creaminess of their oils. This is how we find hazelnuts, the fruit of the hazelnut tree, transformed into chocolate creams, cakes, and biscuits.
Origin and history of hazelnuts
The hazelnut is believed to be native to Asia, between the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. In ancient Anatolia, south of the Black Sea, remains of hazelnuts have been found dating back to 4000 BC. The date of its domestication is unknown, although it is known that the Romans already cultivated it for consumption. Thanks to the author Pliny, we also discovered that hazelnuts were known as the Pontus nut (the Black Sea), the region from which they were first exported.
Its current distribution ranges from the Atlantic coasts of Europe to Norway, and in Transcaucasia it grows associated with other species such as maple, birch, and oak. It is also found in Oregon, United States, and in the last century in Oceania and Chile, South America.
Types and varieties of hazelnuts
Hazelnuts can be flattened, globular, oval, shorter, or longer. They can come from trees that are more or less leafy, vigorous, or almost bushy. These particularities are linked to the evolution and genetic design that has taken place in each region of the world. We could discover hundreds of categories, so an initial way to delve into the types of hazelnut trees is through the main botanical groups.
Corylus avellana racemosa
The hazelnut of this variety is orbicular, the branches of the tree are oblique, with broad and abundant leaves. A peculiarity that stands out from the rest is that the fruit appears grouped in bunches.
Corylus avellana glandulosa
The hazelnut of this hazelnut tree is thick, with the classic conical acorn shape. The tip is narrow, it does not grow in clusters and the shell is thinner than that of other species. The tree is vigorous and is the type of hazelnut that grows in Spain.
Corylus avellana maxima
This variety of hazelnuts can also reach a great height and grow quickly. Its fruit is more rounded than that of the glandular hazelnut, and is of medium size, with a very hard shell. Colloquially, it is also known as the Neapolitan hazelnut.
In the particular case of Spain, hazelnut cultivation is concentrated in Tarragona. In Reus, they have the Negret, Culplà, Gironell, Morell, and Pauetet varieties under the Protected Designation of Origin “Avellana de Reus”. 70% of production corresponds to Negret and Pauetet is one of the most valued for its organoleptic characteristics.
Nutritional value of hazelnuts
According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN), hazelnuts are known for being rich in fat, protein, fiber, and cholesterol. They also point out that their protein is considered to be of good quality due to the presence of L-arginine and they are so rich in oleic acid that they are comparable to small olive oil pills. Hazelnuts are also rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as vitamin B6. However, as with all nuts, as well as having a high nutrient density, they also have a high amount of calories, so it is recommended to eat between 10 and 20 hazelnuts a day (approximately 25 g). Nutritional value of hazelnuts per 100 g:
- Energy: 587 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 5.3 g
- Fats: 54.4 g (of which saturated 3.9 g)
- Proteins: 14.1 g
- Fiber: 10 g
Properties and benefits of hazelnuts
The concentration of nutrients present in hazelnuts gives them multiple benefits. They are good for taking care of our heart, preventing diabetes, and reducing sugar, as well as for keeping our immune system strong and neurological function at 100%. Their antioxidant properties are not far behind, contributing to prolonging the good performance of our cells and tissues and every day more studies investigate their potential for preventing various types of cancer.
Hazelnuts as a cardioprotector
Hazelnuts provide omega 3, oleic acid, the same found in olive oil, and linoleic acid. These healthy fats have a recognized cardioprotective role, helping to reduce LDL cholesterol. Together with the absence of cholesterol in their nutritional profile, hazelnuts become the perfect snack to protect our hearts.
Hazelnuts for a strong immune (and neurological) system
This dried fruit contains very good amounts of vitamin B6 and vitamin E. Both vitamins are related to a strong immune system thanks to their collaboration in the synthesis of antibodies and as powerful antioxidants. In addition, vitamin B6 assists in the production of up to 5 neurotransmitters, making it essential for good cognitive functioning.
Hazelnuts: allies of the vegetarian diet
The protein, iron, and calcium content of hazelnuts makes them especially desirable in vegetarian diets, as these are nutrients and minerals that are not as abundant in plant sources. For example, couscous with toasted hazelnuts is a delicious combination that provides flavour and complete protein, the perfect ally for diets free of animal products.
Hazelnuts to prevent diabetes
Although we have already seen the benefits of hazelnuts when it comes to caring for our hearts, they also contribute to preventing metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Thanks to the low amount of carbohydrates and the presence of fiber, hazelnuts have a low glycemic index. This means that their consumption does not cause the rapid release of large amounts of sugar into the blood, one of the main causes of the development of type II diabetes.
Hazelnuts for cancer prevention
Hazelnuts are rich in nutrients such as vitamin E, which is associated with the prevention of cell damage related to the development of cancer. In addition, in the last decade, special attention has been paid to their content of taxanes and derivatives. Among the biomolecules of this group is paclitaxel, a well-known drug used for the treatment of various types of cancer which suggests significant anticancer potential in this fruit.
Contraindications of hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are a very healthy ingredient with few contraindications. The only precaution is to be careful of a possible allergic reaction and to avoid children under 3 years of age from eating them, as is the case with other nuts. On the other hand, they are not recommended in cases of gastritis, SIBO, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Hazelnuts in the kitchen: uses and recipes
Hazelnuts are one of the most common nuts in the world of confectionery. They were discovered in Italy centuries ago when they came up with the Piedmontese gianduia, a chocolate and hazelnut paste, unforgettable for any palate. Commercially, it appears as a filling for classic Christmas chocolates and inspires the memorable cocoa and hazelnut spread, milk, and sugar.
In pastry, hazelnuts accompany apples in a juicy and tender apple and hazelnut pie, and with just two more ingredients, the professor’s carajitos, crunchy Asturian biscuits, are made. Of course, we can find them sugared together with almonds and in the best Sunday breakfasts, adding crunch to homemade granola or as full-bodied vegetable milk. Of all its versions, we cannot forget the best, some good toasted hazelnuts as a snack, with no other additions than their pungent aroma.