Be honest — how often are you eating hazelnuts?
If you’re like most people, the answer is not too frequently. And no, Nutella doesn’t count.
For some reason, the mighty hazelnut often takes a backseat to popular nuts like macadamia, almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews.
But that might be a big mistake when you learn:
The Top 3 Health Benefits of Hazelnuts that Make Them Worth Eating Weekly
Hazelnuts (also called filberts) are loaded with healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other good-for-you nutrients. A 1-ounce serving of hazelnuts delivers 17g of satiating fat and over 4g of protein. They’re also very low in carbs and sugar.
So it’s actually pretty surprising that most people don’t make these small nuts a staple in their weekly rotation.
Here’s what makes hazelnuts an incredible superfood:
1. Hazelnuts Can Help Decrease Fat Around the Midsection Specifically
It turns out, hazelnuts pack a solid punch when it comes to targeting visceral fat, a specific type of body fat stored around your midsection.
Researchers from a small study found that eating just 40g of hazelnuts (roughly a half cup or 1.4 ounces) every day for six weeks could specifically target this dangerous fat and help decrease it.
Those same scientists also discovered that you could up your hazelnut intake to as much as 60g per day (roughly one-third of a cup or 2 ounces) without affecting your weight. You might even improve your blood cholesterol levels.
2. Hazelnuts May Improve These Key Blood and Inflammation Markers
Researchers from another small study explored the effects of hazelnut intake on cholesterol levels.
This time, study participants went through four weeks of eating hazelnuts and another four weeks of not eating hazelnuts.
Researchers compared the results between the two timeframes and found that hazelnuts:
- Significantly improved total cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol (i.e., the “good” kind).
- Decreased LDL levels (i.e., the “bad” cholesterol) and c-reactive protein (or CRP), which is a blood marker for inflammation.
The only bad thing these scientists noticed? Those positive effects wear off when hazelnuts are not consistently consumed.
That’s why we think hazelnuts should become a weekly staple. After all, once you score those perks, you’ll want to keep them going strong.
3. Hazelnuts Help Boost Your Intake of These Two Key Micronutrients
A study of older adults revealed that people who ate around 60g of hazelnuts daily (roughly one-third of a cup or 2 ounces) had higher magnesium and vitamin E levels.
Magnesium and vitamin E are both crucial nutrients — the former is an electrolyte your muscles, nerves, and heart need to stay healthy, while the latter is a vital antioxidant that protects against cell damage (among other responsibilities).
Despite how essential these are, 60% of people don’t get enough magnesium, and 90% of adults don’t reach their target vitamin E levels.
The answer to solving both those dilemmas may be eating more hazelnuts.
Ready To Pay More Attention To Hazelnuts? Us Too!
Now that you know the benefits of hazelnuts, you’ll probably stop giving them the cold shoulder, right?
Besides being a healthy and delicious snack, hazelnuts are also super versatile.
You can weave more hazelnuts into your menu planning by adding them to your yogurt, oatmeal, chia pudding, smoothies, salads, baking recipes, and more. You could also toss a hazelnut protein bar in your backpack for an on-the-go pick-me-up
So start making room for hazelnuts, and you’ll be able to reap the fantastic benefits mentioned in this post soon enough!
Author: Devan Ciccarelli
Email: devan@behappynothangry.com
Instagram/Facebook Group: @behappynothangry/Be Happy Not Hangry
Website: www.behappynothangry.com
