Consider the hazelnut as a nutritional source.

Hazelnut has found its way into more non-traditional foods, thanks in part to its nutritional and nutraceutical properties. Among nut species, the hazelnut plays a major role in human nutrition and health because of its special composition of fatty acids (mainly oleic acid), fat-soluble bioactives (tocopherols and phytosterols), vitamins (vitamin E), minerals, amino acids, antioxidant phenolics and dietary fiber.

Hazelnut provides an excellent source of energy (631 kCal per 100 g) due to its high oil content, about 61%. Besides its nutritional value, the presence of taste-active components together with aroma-active components can improve the taste and flavor of hazelnut-based products. In addition, the unique and distinctive flavor of hazelnut adds value to it as a nutraceutical ingredient for application in a variety of food products.

Elevated serum cholesterol levels are a well-known risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). They are a leading cause of mortality in many countries. Monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), which is rich in hazelnut oil, is known to decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of CHD. Canadian and British research has demonstrated that supplementing our diets with hazelnut (40 g) reduces levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TG), Apo B and homosistein by up to 5.3%, 2.6%, 22.4%, 5.3%, 0.3%, 10.4% and 7.8%, respectively.

Furthermore, a diet rich in hazelnut increases levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and Apo A by 13.9% and 0.3%, respectively. These data demonstrate that hazelnut may be used as a supplement for daily diet planning in order to reduce the risk of CHD by lowering LDL and VLDL and increasing HDL cholesterol levels.

Further information. Fereidoon Shahidi, Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 300 Prince Philip Dr., St. John's, Newfoundland A1B 3X9, Canada; phone: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. Or: Cesarettin Alasalvar, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, England, U.K.; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].