5 Proven Health Benefits Of Hazelnuts

Recognizably, hazelnut is the nut of the hazel tree largely grown in the Northern Hemisphere and widespread across North America, Europe and Asia. At the beginning of their maturity, the nuts are green and turn brown once ready for harvest, generally during September and October or as early as August. Hazelnut, also known as filbert or cob nut, has a delicate flavor with a slightly bitter outside skin. The nuts are typically consumed raw, roasted and used commonly in desserts, as the nut pairs well with chocolate - the combination of chocolate and hazelnut makes the widely popular Nutella spread!

# Promotes Weight Loss

An ounce of hazelnut provides 176 calories of energy, 3 grams of dietary fibers, and 17 grams of fat.

On the surface, it looks like a high-calorie food that interferes with the weight loss goal.

However, when consumed in moderation, hazelnut promotes weight loss.

Dietary fibers in hazelnuts provide stomach satiety and control overeating, a major cause of obesity.

Essential fatty acids in hazelnut make it a wonderful pre-meal snack as it provides energy for day-to-day activity.

It suppresses hunger and reduces our craving for junk food items that may cause obesity or other health problems.

Avoid overeating hazelnuts as otherwise, it may cause weight gain because of high-calorie content and high fats.

# Maintains Cholesterol Level

Dietary fibers in hazelnut reduce LDL cholesterol and help with cholesterol management.

It reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, a condition that leads to hardening and narrowing of arteries due to the accumulation of plaque and fat deposits in the arterial walls.

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of cardiovascular problems like heart attack, heart stroke, and coronary artery disease.

# Regulates High Blood Pressure

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common health condition that affects millions around the world and is a leading cause of cardiovascular and other health problems.

Hazelnut contains potassium, a natural vasodilator that relaxes blood vessels, improves blood circulation, and provides relief from hypertension or high blood pressure.

It doesn’t contain any sodium, and this also contributes to blood pressure regulation.

Despite this advantage, consume hazelnuts in moderation as otherwise too much potassium may cause fatigue, feeling of numbness, nausea or vomiting, trouble breathing, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat.

If you take blood pressure medication, consult your doctor before adding hazelnut to your diet to avoid food-drug interference risk.

# Good For Heart Health

Hazelnuts are good for our heart health.

Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and other relevant compounds such as flavonoids, etc in hazelnuts protect our cardiovascular system from free radical damage.

Dietary fibers in hazelnut help with cholesterol management and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular problems.

Hazelnut contains potassium, a vital mineral that relaxes blood vessels, improves blood circulation, and provides relief from hypertension or high blood pressure, a common cause of cardiovascular problems like a heart attack or heat stroke.

# Protection Against Various Cancer(s)

Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and other relevant compounds like flavonoids, etc in hazelnuts protect our cells and tissues from free radical damage.

This reduces the risk of various cancers like colon cancer, abdominal cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, and intestinal cancer, etc.

Alpha-tocopherol, a vitamin E variant in hazelnut reduces the risk of bladder cancer by 50 percent.

Free radicals are unstabilized ions that stabilize by stealing electrons from the neighboring molecules, and doing so causes oxidative damage to them.

Manganese in hazelnuts also contributes to antioxidant activity in the mitochondria of cells.