Pine nuts easily turn common meals into gourmet treats. They are famous for their beneficial properties and spicy taste. And foreigners often look for Siberian cedar roasted nuts in Russia – this hotel is very popular. We will tell you what are good pine cone kernels, and who should include them in the diet. Here’s everything you need to know about pine nuts.
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Where and how they grow
Pine nuts are seeds from pine cones, not cedar. Most of the valuable trees are concentrated in Siberia and the Far East. The more east the pine trees are, the larger their cones. Far Eastern pine nuts are larger than Siberian ones. But the latter are valued higher because they are sweeter, more aromatic, and oily.
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The world’s largest producer of pine nuts is Russia. Mongolia is in second place. Pine nuts also grow in Kazakhstan, but the country does not export. The European variety has a less intense flavor. The most famous pine nut product is pesto sauce. It is prepared just from the European variety.
How do they sell?
In Siberia and the Far East, you can buy boiled pine cones. They are boiled to get rid of the tar and make it easier to extract the nuts. In factories, cones are not boiled, because they are husked by a machine.
You can buy pine nuts in 3 types:
1. In the cones. Use boiled ones if you want to eat right away. Or ordinary ones to boil them yourself.
2. In a shell. Peeling pine nuts is easy. Place a few nucleoli on a table and tap them with a hammer. Then separate the kernels from the husk. It is reasonable to buy pine nuts in this form, because after the contact of the peeled seed with air, oxidation begins. They last longer in the shell.
3. Peeled. In this case, you need to buy vacuum-packed kernels preferably from the refrigerator or freezer. This is the only way they don’t go rancid
A short video on how pine nuts grow, how kernels are obtained, and how they are useful.
Beneficial features
Pine nuts are valued for essential amino acids, manganese, copper, zinc, iodine, vitamins A and E, and fatty acids. This is just part of the rich lineup Experts advice including them in the diet to prevent dozens of diseases and strengthen the immune system.
10 reasons to start eating pine nuts:
1. Improves immunity. Pine nuts and oil will help with vitamin deficiency. They strengthen the general resistance of the body and restore strength.
2. Prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Pine nut kernels are almost 60% healthy fats. They strengthen the walls of blood vessels, lower cholesterol levels.
3. Improves appearance. Vitamin E, which pine nuts are rich in, is useful for the beauty of skin, hair, nails. It also slows down the aging of the body.
4. Restore the gastrointestinal tract. Experts advise consuming pine nuts with honey to prevent and alleviate digestive tract problems. With gastritis, pancreatitis, ulcers.
5. Replenish protein deficiency. Scientists advise vegetarians to include pine nuts in their diet because they are rich in lysine, methionine and tryptophan. These are essential amino acids that are essential for maintaining the health of the body.
6. They have a positive effect on the nervous system. B vitamins are responsible for your peace of mind, peace of mind and good sleep.
7. Improves the functioning of the thyroid gland. They are rich in iodine. Pine nuts are indicated for thyroid problems.
8. Good for men. They are rich in zinc, therefore they increase potency, provide prevention of diseases of the genitourinary system. Experts advise men to eat 20-30 grams of pine nuts to stay healthy.
9. Helps to lose weight. Pine nut kernels contain pinolenic acid. It reduces appetite. Sprinkle nuts on salads or cereals. They also reduce cravings for sweets, so they are useful not only for those who are losing weight, but also for diabetics.
10. Improves the condition of the body under stress. Both physical and mental. Pine nuts are good for muscles, joints, and stimulate the brain.
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Harm and contraindications
Pine nuts are 60% fat, so they quickly go rancid and are susceptible to mold. Spoiled kernels often result in a loss of flavor for 2 days to a month. A metallic taste appears in the mouth, which eventually goes away on its own.
Moldy pine nuts can cause acute poisoning and cause significant harm to health. Excessive consumption of fresh kernels is fraught with problems with the gastrointestinal tract: constipation, bloating.
For problems with the gallbladder, pine nuts are contraindicated. They should also not be given to children under 3 years of age.
Daily rate
The calorie content of pine nuts is 674 kcal per 100 grams. Experts advise against eating them in handfuls. It is enough to sprinkle nuts on fruits, salad, and ready-made dish or make a sauce based on them. The consumption rate is 20-40 grams per day, it is not worth eating anymore.
Cedar oil can be used to season salads. You cannot fry on it. Pine nut milk contains no more than 20% kernels, so you can drink 1-2 glasses without the risk of overdose.
Application
Pine nuts are used completely: kernels, shells, even cake – everything has found application.
7 most popular use cases:
1. Kernels are in cooking. Pine nuts are used whole or crushed. It is also pounded in a mortar to make pesto sauce.
2. Oil. It is drunk with spoons in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. But it’s best to enrich your snacks with it.
3. Oilcake is a valuable additive. The product left over after pressing out cedar nut oil is used as a useful flavoring additive in dishes and desserts.
4. Husk. Pine nut shells serve as the basis for tinctures and balms. They are taken for the prevention of various diseases.
5. Drinks. Cedar milk is a good source of protein. If you go to Irkutsk, Novosibirsk or Baikal, try this unusual drink. Pine nut vodka is a popular hotel.
6. Additive to honey. A useful delicacy and a visiting card of Siberia. The nuts are poured with honey and sold in glass jars. Healthy products enhance each other’s properties.
7. Cedar roasted nuts. You should try these candies at least once in your life. Buy them for yourself or as a gift to familiar foreigners. It tastes a bit like chak-chak, only in chocolate and more piquant.
How to store?
Peeled pine nut kernels should be stored in a cool dry place for no more than a year. In the cone, it does not deteriorate for several years. Better to buy vacuum-packed pine nuts. The kernels should be kept in the refrigerator, or even better, in the freezer. Otherwise, they will start to turn rancid. Humidity is unacceptable.
If you bought inshell pine nuts, they will last longer. They can be fried and then peeled right before eating.
The best price for pine nuts is in Siberia. If you decide to visit Trend Health or go to historical cities, go to the markets. Or look for nuts and nut-based foods in stores. Grill and tinctures in souvenir shops are more expensive than in supermarkets. Cones and nuts in shells are profitable to buy from local residents.
