Hazelnuts are one of the most delicious nuts you can eat. They have a buttery, rich flavor and even more health benefits than other nuts. If you love hazelnuts, you’ll be happy to know that they’re easy to cook with and make an excellent snack! However, there are some things you should know before adding them to your diet.
Can You Eat Hazelnuts?
You can eat hazelnuts, and I have to say, it is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Hazelnuts are considered a good source of vitamin E, magnesium and protein. They also contain a fair amount of fiber, which is going to help keep your digestion in check.
Do Hazelnuts Have To Be Cooked?
Hazelnuts are a type of nut and require cooking. They are good sources of protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Their sweet flavour makes them an excellent addition to desserts or baked goods. Hazelnuts can be eaten raw but will have a better flavour if cooked first.
Are There Any Risks To Eating Hazelnuts?
Hazelnuts are not a common allergen, so you do not need to worry about hazelnut allergies when eating them. If you have a tree nut allergy and are unsure whether or not hazelnuts are included in this category, it is best to check with your doctor before eating them.
Hazelnut oil is made from crushed hazelnuts and has been used for thousands of years as a skin moisturizer and anti-aging treatment. It also has many other uses in its pure form, including as an ingredient in cosmetics, soaps, lotions and sunscreens.
Benefits Of Eating Hazelnuts
What Do Hazelnuts Taste Like?
Like other nuts, hazelnuts have a nutty flavor. They can also be described as having a sweet and buttery taste, thanks to the high sugar content in hazelnut shells. Hazelnuts are also sometimes called filberts—a name they share with other varieties of edible nuts.
For many people, the flavor of hazelnuts is reminiscent of chocolate because its taste is similar to that of cocoa powder. In fact, some people find that eating raw hazelnuts has an effect on their mood similar to caffeine! The creamy texture of raw hazelnut butter gives it a smooth mouthfeel compared with other types of nut butters like peanut butter or almond butter (which tend to be more grainy).
How To Prepare Hazelnuts For Eating
To prepare hazelnuts for eating, you have a few options. You can roast them in the oven, in a skillet, or in the microwave. Or if you’re feeling ambitious and want to get your hands dirty, try roasting them on a grill or in a fire pit.
How To Eat Hazelnuts
- Eat them raw. One of the most common ways to eat hazelnuts is as a snack, simply shelled and eaten by hand.
- Add them to a salad. A favorite way to dress up store-bought salads is by adding hazelnuts for crunch and flavor, such as in this chicken salad recipe.
- Make a hazelnut butter or oil. Hazelnuts can also be ground into butter or oil (for example, see [this guide](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-hazelnut-butter-recipe) on making chocolate hazelnut butter).
- Make a paste or syrup using roasted or raw nuts
Where Can You Buy Hazelnuts?
- Buy hazelnuts in the shell. Hazelnuts are usually sold in their shells, which you can crack open and eat raw or roast over an open flame.
- Buy hazelnut oil. There’s a whole world of delicious foods for sale online, including hazelnut oils that can be used as substitutes for regular olive oil when cooking or baking, depending on the recipe.
- Buy hazelnut butter. Like other nuts and seeds, you can buy whole roasted and ground dark chocolate-hazelnutspread from Amazon. The one pictured above is from Dagoba Chocolates—and it looks amazing! Although we don’t sell this product ourselves yet (check back soon), we’d be happy to pass your email address along if someone else does start selling it soon 🙂
Conclusion
Hazelnuts are a delicious and nutritious addition to your diet. They are rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats that can help lower cholesterol levels. They also contain a variety of vitamins such as vitamin E and vitamin B6 which help maintain healthy skin cells so they don’t dry out easily.
Kate has been in the food business for over 20 years. Worked as a cook at several buffets which include Old Country Buffet, Five Star Buffet, and Ichiban Buffet. Now, I’m mostly at home cooking for my family, caring for chickens and ducks, and tending the garden.
