Hazelnuts are sweet, and incredibly nutritious edible kernels from the "birch" or Betulaceae family of trees. Hazel tree begins producing fruits about three years after plantation. Hazels appear in clusters. Each nut is held inside the short leafy involucre or "capsule" enclosing about three-quarters of the kernel. Hazelnut oil, extracted from the kernels, has been used in as base or carrier oil in medicine, and in aromatherapy.
Healthy Fats
Hazelnuts contain heart-healthy fats that can protect heart health. Specifically, they are high in healthy polyunsaturated and mononunsaturated fats and low in unhealthier unsaturated fats. Hazelnuts are a good source of oleic acid. Oleic acid can help to lower levels of bad cholesterol, LDL, and can raise levels of good cholesterol, HDL, in the body.
Cancer Prevention
Studies have found that the alpha-tocopherol type of vitamin E hazelnuts are so rich in may cut the risk of bladder cancer in half. Additionally, the manganese so abundant in hazelnuts goes a long way in protecting the body from cancer. Manganese is a constituent of an antioxidant enzyme produced in the mitochondria of the cells to protect the body from cancer.
Muscles
Magnesium plays an important role in regulating the amount of calcium that goes into and out of the cells of the body. The proper amount of calcium at the proper time encourages muscle contraction, and allows the muscles to relax when they’re not needed. This avoids muscle tension, soreness, spasm, cramps and fatigue. According to one Italian study, higher magnesium levels also increased the strength of the muscles.
Skin Health
One cup of hazelnuts contains 86% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin E. Vitamin E has been proven to protect skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, such as skin cancer and premature aging.
Bone and Joint Health
About two thirds of the magnesium the body uses goes towards building the structure and strength of the skeletal system. Magnesium is a key mineral in the makeup of the bones, and is so important that the body stores extra magnesium on the surface of bones to be used in case of an emergency deficiency. Hazelnuts are also rich in manganese, a mineral essential for the growth and strength of bones. Post-menopausal women are often deficient in manganese and can benefit from its ability to increase the density of bone, and fight osteoporosis.
Nervous System
The nervous system needs amino acids in order to function, and amino acids require vitamin B6. Hazelnuts are rich in vitamin B6. Moreover, vitamin B6 is necessary for the creation of myelin, the insulating sheath of the nerve that increases the speed and efficiency of electrical impulses, allowing the nervous system to operate optimally. What’s more, vitamin B6 is instrumental in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin, melatonin, and epinephrine.
Digestive Tract Health
Hazelnuts are rich in manganese, which is an enzyme activator and a catalyst in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. It also promotes protein and carbohydrate metabolism. The high content of fiber in hazelnuts assures regular movement of food and waste through the digestive tract, distributing the burden of work evenly along the way and promoting the proper balance of chemicals and microorganisms necessary for a healthy digestive system.
Palatable Antioxidants
Antioxidants play a very important role in overall health. Free-radicals prevent the cells from being properly oxygenated and as a result illness occurs. A build up of free-radicals cause a domino effect in the body, infecting other cells, and leading to serious diseases.
No comments:
Post a Comment