In Season
The full moon in August is known as the Hazel Moon, according to Celtic traditions. Late summer is the time of year when hazelnuts appear on trees, signaling the early part of the harvest.
Nutrition
Hazelnuts are a great source of vitamin E, which offers protection against cancer and heart disease.
Hazelnut is a good source for B1, B2 and B6 vitamins. These vitamins
are essential in blood formation and mental health, especially for
those of children in development age.
Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat. Moreover, they
contain significant amounts of thiamine and vitamin B6, as well as
smaller amounts of other B vitamins.
For those persons who need to restrict carbohydrates, 1 cup (237 ml) of
hazelnut flour has 20 g of carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, for less than 10
net carbohydrates.
Preparation
Hazelnut oil can be used for cooking and in salad dressings.
Hazelnuts are used in confectionery to make praline and in combination
with chocolate for chocolate truffles and products such as Nutella. In the USA, hazelnut butter is being promoted as a more nutritious spread than its peanut butter counterpart, though it has
Varieties
There are many cultivars of the Common Hazel, including 'Barcelona',
'Butler', 'Casina', 'Clark' 'Cosford', 'Daviana', 'Delle Langhe',
'England', 'Ennis', Filbert, 'Halls Giant', 'Jemtegaard', 'Kent Cob',
'Lewis', 'Tokolyi', 'Tonda Gentile', 'Tonda di Giffoni', 'Tonda
Romana', 'Wanliss Pride', and 'Willamette'. Some of these are grown for
specific qualities of the nut, including large nut size and early and
late fruiting cultivars, whereas others are grown as pollinators. The
majority of commercial Hazelnuts are propagated from root sprouts. Some
cultivars are of hybrid origin between Common Hazel and Filbert.
Commercial Production
In North America, hazelnut production is concentrated in two states,
Oregon and Washington, and in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia,
Canada.
Energetics
Filberts, also
called hazelnuts, are perhaps the sweetest of all nuts... The unique
and concentrated combination of fat, protein, and carbohydrate in seeds
and nuts gives them a slow release of energy into the body, a
time-release effect that feeds rather than floods the bloodstream. Use
them regularly and in combinations to enhance the nutrition of any
meal.
- Energetics: The Spiritual, Emotional, and Nutritional Power of What We Eat
Legend
Hazelnuts are associated with wisdom and protection.
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Hazelnuts
Nutella
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