Hazelnuts are nuts harvested from the Hazel tree. Behind the sweet and savory taste, hazelnuts are also rich in nutrients that bring many health benefits.
Although it still tends to be rare, hazelnuts can be found in several supermarkets in Indonesia. You can eat these round nuts right away as a healthy snack option or you can also mix them with a variety of dishes.
Foods commonly served with hazelnuts include cakes, bread, muffins, brownies, pastas, salads and soups.
Hazelnut Nutrient Content
Hazelnuts include foods that are high in calories. Ten hazelnuts alone contain about 90 calories. Even so, these nuts are also rich in nutrients that are good for health, such as:
- Healthy fats, such as omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9
- Protein
- Carbohydrate
- Fiber
- Vitamins, such as vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, and folate.
- Minerals, such as magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, and iron.
In addition to the above nutrients, hazelnuts are also rich in antioxidants, namely phenolic compounds and antioxidants proanthocyanidins.
Hazelnut Health Benefits
The following are various health benefits that you can get from consuming hazelnuts:
1. Fights excess free radicals
Hazelnuts are rich in phenolic compounds, which are antioxidants that are useful for protecting the body from oxidative stress due to the buildup of excess free radicals. Oxidative stress can cause damage to cells in the body thereby increasing a person's risk for suffering from various chronic diseases.
Research shows that regular consumption of hazelnuts can significantly reduce oxidative stress. That way, you will avoid various chronic diseases, such as heart disease.
2. Prevent cancer
Consumption of hazelnuts regularly can also prevent you from suffering from cancer. Because the content proanthocyanidins, Vitamin E and manganese in hazelnuts can protect the body from cell damage that can increase the risk of cancer cells growing.
3. Lowering blood sugar levels
Hazelnuts are also useful for lowering blood sugar levels. The oleic acid contained in hazelnuts can increase the sensitivity of the body's cells to the hormone insulin, so that the body can absorb sugar more optimally. That way, your risk of developing diabetes will be reduced.
4. Reduce inflammation in the body
Inflammation that occurs over a long period of time can lead to chronic diseases, such as obesity and heart disease. However, this can be prevented by consuming hazelnuts regularly. The high concentration of healthy fats in hazelnuts can prevent and reduce inflammation in the body.
5. Lowers cholesterol levels
Another benefit of hazelnuts is that it helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
The content of phenolic compounds in hazelnuts can reduce total cholesterol, bad cholesterol (LDL), and increase good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. That way, you will avoid cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke.
That's the nutrition and benefits of hazelnuts that you can get. However, considering hazelnuts contain high calories, the portion of consumption must be considered. Instead of bringing benefits, excessive consumption of hazelnuts can actually cause weight gain.
In addition, you should also be careful if you have an allergy to nuts, such as peanuts, because you are more likely to have an allergy to hazelnuts as well.
If you still have questions, for example regarding the consumption of hazelnuts and your health condition, don't hesitate to consult with your doctor to find out whether these nuts are safe for you to consume or not.
