Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.)

GO NUTS!

Did you know … hazelnuts are one of the main ingredients in the famous Italian Nutella spread?

What’s the Story?

Hazelnuts, also known as filberts, are a nut that grows on a bushy tree. A hazelnut is shaped like an acorn and has a fuzzy outer husk that will open as the nut matures, exposing a smooth, hard shell. Hazelnuts have a rich flavour and are often used in baking products and also used to make hazelnut butter, meal and flour, paste and oil. They can also be purchased in their shell, chopped, ground or roasted.

A Serving of Food Lore …

Hazelnut is one of the oldest agricultural food crops and is thought to have originated in Asia. Chinese manuscripts from 5,000 years ago refer to the hazelnut as a sacred food from heaven. The Romans and Greeks used hazelnuts for medicinal purposes.

Where Are Hazelnuts Grown?

The main producers of hazelnuts are Turkey, Italy, Spain and France. In the United States they are mainly grown in Oregon and Washington.

Why Should I Eat Hazelnuts?

Not only are hazelnuts a high-quality source of protein and fibre, they also contain a variety of antioxidants such as vitamin E and a host of phytonutrients that benefit the immune system. Hazelnuts are a rich source of the amino acid arginine that relaxes blood vessels. Hazelnuts have the highest concentration of folate among all of the tree nuts. Folate reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects, and may help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Hazelnuts also contain the blood pressure-lowering minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium. Hazelnuts are also a rich source of squalene, a plant chemical—also found in olive oil, wheat germ oil, rice bran oil, shark oil and yeast—that has anticancer and cholesterol-lowering properties.

Home Remedies

Hazelnut oil has been used externally as a way to rid the skin of cellulite. The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides boasted of hazelnut’s ability to quiet chronic coughs, fight the common cold, and even grow hair in bald areas of the head.

Throw Me a Lifesaver!

HEART HEALTH: A small human study showed that men with elevated cholesterol who were fed a diet containing hazelnuts for eight weeks had decreased plaque-promoting lipids and increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol compared to the control group.

Tips on Using Hazelnuts

SELECTION AND STORAGE:

• If they’re in the shell, choose nuts that are heavy and full. Unshelled nuts can be stored in a cool, dry place for about a month.

• Shelled nuts should have tight skins and nuts that are plump. They can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, where they will keep fresh for about four months.

PREPARATION AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• The skin can be removed by toasting the nuts and then rubbing them. Hazelnuts can be roasted using a conventional oven and a baking tray.

• You can grind them by placing them in a food processor.

• Try hazelnut butter as an alternative to peanut butter.

• Add hazelnuts to your favourite salad, biscuits, stir-fry or breakfast cereal.

• Add an exciting texture to your yogurt with chopped hazelnuts.

Cranberry Pear Salad with Curried Hazelnuts

Courtesy of the Hazelnut Council

Servings: 8 • Prep and cooking time: 45 to 60 minutes

This recipe contains an amazing thirteen powerhouse foods!

INGREDIENTS:

DRESSING:

8oz/225g yogurt, plain, fat-free

5oz/150g cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon tarragon, dried

1 teaspoon chives, chopped

¼ teaspoon garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon white pepper, ground

HAZELNUTS:

8oz/225g hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2floz/60ml light corn syrup

3 tablespoons honey

¾ teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground

1½ teaspoons butter

SALAD:

4oz/110g spinach leaves, washed

4oz/110g spring greens, washed and torn

6oz/150g cranberries, sweetened and dried

1 pear, cored and cubed

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

1oz/25g green onions, thinly sliced

DRESSING DIRECTIONS:

Process dressing ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.

HAZELNUT DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 300°F/150°C. Place hazelnuts in large bowl. Pour melted butter in 9 × 9 × 2-inch tin; set aside. Stir corn syrup, honey, curry powder, salt and cayenne pepper in small saucepan until boiling. Boil 2 minutes; do not stir. Stir in 1½ teaspoons butter until melted. Immediately pour over nuts. Stir until coated. Spread into prepared tin. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Pour onto buttered baking tray; cool. Break into small pieces. Makes 15oz/435g.

SALAD DIRECTIONS:

Place salad ingredients in large bowl. Toss with dressing. Sprinkle on 6oz/175g curried hazelnuts.

BREAK IT DOWN …

Calories: 210; Total fat: 8.5g; Saturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Sodium: 155mg; Total carbs: 34g; Fibre: 4g; Sugar: 26g; Protein: 4g.