All you need to know about Hazel Nuts!

Here’s a question- What sells like hotcakes and spreads far and wide?  No? Tough cookie to crack, eh? I have another one- Which little jar has been a victim of your vehement consumption? Still nothing? Work those grey cells, will you? Final question- What is brown and you’ll destroy anything that stands as a hindrance in your hot pursuit of this?

Yes, finally! NUTELLA. Now that I have your attention, don’t be deceived by the barrage of questions, this post is NOT about Nutella.

It’s about Hazelnuts. WHAAAA. You’re probably saying, “Mm-mm, ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat”, or, “I have 99 problems and hazelnut is one of them!”

If you have a severe nut allergy, click the back button. The rest, grab your reading glasses for this post might inspire you to snack like a crazy squirrel.  

There are 53 culinary nuts and the hazelnut is seriously underrated. Cashews, Peanuts, and Almonds are like shiny, popular high-school kids, they tower above and cast a shadow over the socially less preferred nuts. Thanks to our insatiable appetite for Nutella, Hazelnuts are facing a major shortage and that’s a serious kick in the nut(ella). Hopefully by the end of this post, the hazelnuts’ sombre and unfortunate state will take a turn for the better.

• They offer some impressive health benefits. If you want to shed those stubborn pounds, then stop binge eating sodium or sugar dense foods and sporadically nibble on hazelnuts as they curb your appetite and keep you from overeating.

• They are high on protein. A single cup of hazelnuts contain 20 grams of protein. Toss them in your salad, toast them or roast them, they simply add a lot of good to your diet and reduces the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Hence this fibre-rich nut can combat those cholesterol globules and keep you hale and hearty.

They are rich in antioxidants and potassium content. Individuals with muscle-building goals should revere them. So instead of depending on Gatorade to replenish your electrolytes, eat a handful of hazelnuts and you’ll gain all the strength you need.

• Hazelnuts have the highest Proanthocyanidin content which actively contributes in the body’s clotting mechanism.
• They are excellent for your skin. Yes, ladies! Throw that tube of fairness cream and all those beauty-enhancing thingamajigs and embrace hazelnuts. Vitamins, ‘E’ and ‘A’ in hazelnuts will leave you sparkling like Edward Cullen from the movie ‘Twilight’. 

Now that you’ve fully understood the importance of these consistently nutritious nuts, why not put them first and give them the love they deserve!