Are hazelnuts good for you?

Written by Tena Moore (- if this post appears on any site other than Vitaminstuff.com it has been stolen)


Yes. The unsaturated fat, vitamins and minerals in hazelnuts make them a perfect, healthy snack. Unfortunately, nuts in general have received a bad rap over the years due to their high fat content. What most people don’t realize is that they must have fat in their diet, and the right type of fat is healthy, mono and polyunsaturated fat; the type of fat found in hazelnuts. The FDA reported in 2003 that eating 1.5 ounces of nuts, such as hazelnuts, per day may be able to reduce heart disease.

Hazelnuts offer so many vitamins and minerals; it’s challenging to list them all. You can find B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, selenium, and plenty of fiber and protein in hazelnuts. They are high in antioxidants and low in sodium and cholesterol. They are also known to help boost the immune system, promote digestion, and are a heart healthy food. Many of the vitamins and minerals found in hazelnuts are known for their cardio-protective qualities.

A low-fat dieting culture contributes to the misconception about hazelnuts, and nuts in general. Fat is needed for energy. You can either get your fat from ‘bad’ sources like sugary pastries and high-fat meats, or ‘good’ sources like nuts.



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Get Enough (but not too much) Vitamin B Folate

Folate is a B vitamin that can be found naturally in beans such as baked beans, Great Northern beans and black-eyed peas, as well as in greens such as spinach, broccoli and asparagus. In addition, folate can also be found in fortified-enriched foods such as pastas, breads and breakfast cereals.

The following article details a Harvard School of Public Health study that found that getting enough folate is good for your health, but getting too much folate could possibly be bad for your health. The article outlines the study findings, talks about cancer risks, heart disease, and advanced and multiple tumors, as well as details the correct amounts of folate for optimum health.

The article notes that low levels of folate can weaken your chromosomes and mutate your tumor-suppressing genes. It also notes that getting a high dose of folate does not lower your risk of cancer, and could raise your risk of tumors.

When good vitamins turn bad