The Nutritional Health Benefits of Nuts and Seeds: Pine, Hazelnuts, Pecan, Pistachio, Cashew and More
Author: John Grant.
Nuts are often overlooked as that snack food that sits in a bowl at parties and receptions, but their healthy goodness makes them a beneficial part of everyday dining. Since nuts are portable, easy to prepare, and never spoil, they make excellent toppings or ingredients for nut recipes of all types. Different nuts can be used in different ways, but all of these healthy nuts are nutritious and delicious.
What are The Health Benefits of Hazel Nuts ?
Hazelnuts are packed with a variety of nutrients that help prevent cancer, coronary heart disease, and high cholesterol. While high in calories, they are also high in energy and fatty acids that lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, hazelnuts help develop healthy skin and can prevent neural tube defects. They are gluten free and can thus be consumed by those who suffer from gluten allergies and are rich in copper, manganese, iron, phosphorous, and other minerals that help prevent anemia and enhance bone metabolism.
The sweet flavor of hazelnuts makes them ideal for various desserts as they are often used as ingredients in cakes, cookies, and chocolates. They can also be roasted and eaten for their own virtues and health benefits. Hazelnut butter can be consumed by those who cannot eat peanut butter due to allergies, and hazelnut oil helps moisturize the skin and is often used as a base oil in aromatherapy, massage therapy, and in the pharmaceutical industry.
Pine Nuts Health Benefits
Pine nuts are also nutritious, rich in vitamins and phyto-chemicals. They contain necessary fatty acids including pinolenic acid, which has been associated with weight loss via curbing the appetite through the triggering of hunger suppressant enzymes. These healthy nuts are an excellent source of Vitamin E as well as B-complex vitamins such as B-6, niacin, and riboflavin.
They contain calcium, potassium, and other important elements that are necessary for good health. Heart disease and stroke are a couple of diseases that the consumption of pine nuts can help prevent.
There are several different ways to enjoy pine nuts. They can, of course, be eaten by themselves or roasted, salted, or sweetened. Granolas and crunch bars often list them as an ingredient, as do cookies and chocolates. They are also used as sprinkled toppings on ice cream and salad and can be added to fish, meat, and vegetable dishes. Pine nut oil can be used for cooking, as salad dressing, and as the base oil for aromatherapy and massage oils.
Did you know? Nuts and seeds contain absolutely zero b12-vitamin, even though many vegetarians claim that they get their full-dose of B12 and iron from them. This is a misconception.
No Benefits toSunflower Seeds ?
Sunflower seeds have long been loved for the enjoyment people receive when they crunch down on the hulls and extract the goodness inside. These popular seeds are incredibly healthy, providing amino acids such as tryptophan and polyphenol compounds that that help remove harmful oxidant molecules from the body. Folic acid is present in large amounts in sunflower seeds, assisting with DNA synthesis and in preventing neural defects in newborns. Sunflower seeds also have high levels of niacin and pyridoxine, which are B-complex vitamins that enhances brain activity and reduces neurosis and anxiety.
Beyond the popular roasted and salted snack, sunflower seeds can also be used as a sprinkled topping on salads, fried rice, and vegetables. They can be added to casseroles and baked goods, and flour ground from sunflower seeds can be used to bake a dark bread. SunButter is sold as a substitution for peanut butter for those with allergies; sunflower allergies are rare occurrences.
EmbracePecan Nuts
Pecans are also popular nuts, which is fortunate due to their healthy nature. They include ellagic acid, beta carotenes, vitamin E, zeaxanthin, and lutein, all of which help keep the body free from cancer, infections, and diseases. Pecans are excellent sources of vitamin E and B-complex vitamins as well as the minerals manganese, zinc, and copper. The oleic acid present in pecans helps lower cholesterol, leading to healthy arteries and blood.
The buttery-rich flavor of pecans makes them ideal for eating by the plain handful, but they are also good roasted, salted, or chocolate-covered. They feature heavily in chocolates and cookies and are used to make pecan pie. Pecans make delicious toppings on ice cream, cheesecake, and pound cake.
Dessert is not the only area in which pecans are used; they are delicious in pecan-encrusted or pecan-stuffed chicken. Pecan nut butter is delicious when spread over bread or toast, and pecan candies such as panda paws and tiger paws combine chocolate, pecans, and caramel to make a delicious confection.
Benefits of Pistachio Nuts? Don’t Overlook Peanuts,
Walnuts and Cashews!
Peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, and other healthy nuts can also be used to make delicious nut recipes for those who want to benefit from the numerous advantages the body gains by eating nuts. Those who do not wish to eat nuts by the handful can incorporate the nuts into salads, casseroles, or desserts; adding nuts to dessert items makes the food healthier, which may lead to an increase in dessert consumption.
Note from Regev: The article contains some non-healthy foods which I do not endorse in any way. I highly encourage you to take responsibility of your health and avoid these foods altogether (cookies, cheesecakes, ice cream, and so on).
Author: John Grant is a professional blogger and printed writer on many subjects relating to the importance of balanced diets. He also writes on the nutritional importance of many natural foods available on the market and is currently traveling around many countries for further research into abundant food products that can offer more healthy diet requirements such as nut recipes. Get more information at FisherNuts.com.