From toasted hazelnuts to hazelnut cream, from hazelnut truffles to hazelnut spread, hazelnuts offer us their nutty goodness. Hazelnuts may be a favorite for their flavor but hazelnuts, it turns out, offer far more than just good taste.
In recent years, researchers and consumers have gained awareness that the fat found in nuts is beneficial. One fact that has emerged is that nuts reduce risk of heart disease. As humans have become knowledgeable about the health benefits of nuts, nut consumption has been on the rise. How do hazelnuts measure up, especially in relation to their potential for reducing risk of heart disease?
Hazelnuts and Heart Health
Hazelnuts have been deemed the most beneficial nut for heart health, containing a mix of beneficial compounds that protect against coronary disease.
- Hazelnuts are high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that helps to lower cholesterol.
- Containing minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium, hazelnuts can help to lower blood pressure.
- Hazelnuts contain cardioprotective arginine, an amino acid that relaxes blood vessels.
Hazelnuts are one of the best nut sources of cardioprotective monounsaturated fatty acids and are lowest in saturated fat.
Nutritious Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts get top marks from a nutritional standpoint. They've been ranked as one of the most nutritious nuts because they supply significant amounts of protein and fiber, vitamin E, B vitamins, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Nutritious hazelnuts are in the top category of nuts, in concert with walnuts, pecans, and almonds, for the host of beneficial compounds they contain. Good nutrition supports both bodily health and heart function.
- Antioxidants
- Fiber
- Heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
- Minerals
- Phytochemicals
- Phytonutrients
- Phytosterols
- Protein
- Vitamins
Hazelnuts & Disease Reduction
Phytochemicals are beneficial plant compounds--carotenoids, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins-- which decrease risk of heart disease and cancer. Hazelnuts have the highest amount of proanthocyanidins of all the tree nuts. These compounds may also reduce risk of urinary tract infections and blood clotting.
Hazelnuts contain the highest concentration of folate, which reduces risk factors for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, neural tube defects, and depression.
Heart Health In a Nutshell:
- Eating hazelnuts is endorsed by the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan, issued by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
- As recommended in Dietary Guidelines for Americans, consumers should eat 1.5 ounces of nuts (including hazelnuts) four to five times per week, as part of a healthful, heart-friendly eating plan.
Sources:
1. Hazelnut Council, Health and Nutrition: Nutritional Overview
2. Grotto, David, 101 Foods that Could Save Your Life, Bantam; Reprint edition (December 28, 2010)
3. Preedy, Victor R/Watson, Ronald Ross/Patel, Vinnod B, Nuts and Seeds in Disease Prevention, Academic Press; 1 edition (April 28, 2011)
Further Reading:
Peanuts and Heart Health--The FDA has suggested that eating peanuts, in concert with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, can reduce risk of heart disease.
Melody Rhodes - M. Rhodes is author of the Bedbug Books. She's been published in Canada, U.S. U.K. & NZ and has won awards for her poetry/prose.
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