​Nutrition: Health Benefits Of Chestnuts And Hazelnuts

What are the health benefits of consuming chestnuts and hazelnuts and why should you care? 

When it comes to having a well rounded nutrient dense diet that contains all the essential nutrients, adding a variety of nuts can be very beneficial. Chestnuts and hazelnuts can be a high quality sources of nutrients and vitamins, this ranges from vitamin e, vitamin b as well as healthy fats (HDL: high-density lipoproteins).

Adding both of these nuts to your diet can lead to a number of health benefits and will be a great addition to ensure you are getting the right nutrients in a food source that is a relatively small size. 

Nutritional Value/Nutritional Profile

Chestnuts 

-Amino acids 

When it comes to the nutrient content within chestnuts they are filled with a variety of amino acids such as aspartic acid, asparagine and glutamic acid. We need amino acids within our diet to ensure our body is able to synthesis proteins and other nitrogen components (creatine and peptide hormones) which will in turn lead to the important role of protein synthesis.

-Vitamin content 

Chestnuts also contain a variety of different vitamins which are vital and play a crucial role within the human body. This ranges from vitamin E, vitamin C and multiple B vitamins. Firstly what are vitamins and why do we need them? Vitamins are an essential nutrient that our body only need in a small dosage to function properly, They play crucial roles in our immune system, metabolism and overall health. 

Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the body, helping protect cells from damage. it does this by neutralising free radicals (unstable molecules) which cause damage to our cells, leading to oxidative stress and potentially contributing to a variety of diseases. In addition to this vitamin e is a fat-soluble vitamin that mainly works in the cell membranes. 

Vitamin C also protects the body from free radicals and acts as an antioxidant. However, this vitamin is water-soluble and mainly works within the watery parts of the cells and blood. Not only does vitamin c act as an antioxidant it also plays several other important functions within the body ranging from collagen synthesis (skin health), wound healing and the maintenance of cartilage, bones and teeth.

Lastly, the B vitamins found within the chestnuts range from B1(thiamine) a b vitamin that is essential for the metabolism and nervous system, B2 (riboflavin) which is used for energy production, B5 (pantothenic acid) which plays a crucial role in energy and metabolism, B6 (pyridoxine) used within the body for brain health and the formation of red blood cells and B9 (folate) which plays a crucial role in the division of cells and the formation of DNA.

-Unsaturated Fats

Chestnuts although very low in fat compared to the other nuts do contain primarily ‘healthy’ unsaturated fats. This includes monounsaturated fats. Such as oleic acid which are beneficial in many ways. For example, monounsaturated fats lead to better heart health as it helps lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowers the risk of heart disease, It does this by increasing ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) in the blood.

-Fibre

When it comes to getting a good source of dietary fiber consuming nuts can be a good idea. Not only does it make it easier to consume due to the unique taste but also packs 5g of fibre/100g. Adding chest nuts to your diet can be an excellent option in increasing your overall fibre consumption. It is also important information to know how much fibre you currently re getting within your diet to ensure you are hitting the recommended dosage of 30g/day. 

-Calories 

The calorie content like the fat content is significantly lower compared to the hazelnut, only having 131kcals within 100g of chestnuts, this makes it a great choice for a lower calorie option compared to other nuts whilst still getting the nutrients needed.

Hazelnuts

-Amino acids 

Hazel nuts contains a variety of different amino acids, the distinct differences being that it contains phenylalanine, leucine and valine. These amino acids are very important for building muscle within the body as well as supporting a variety of other bodily functions. Incorporating hazelnuts into your diet can help ensure you get a good balance of amino acids.

-Vitamin Content 

Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the body, helping protect cells from damage. it does this by neutralising free radicals (unstable molecules) which cause damage to our cells, leading to oxidative stress and potentially contributing to a variety of diseases. In addition to this vitamin e is a fat-soluble vitamin that mainly works in the cell membranes. 

The B vitamins found within hazelnuts that contribute to nutritional benefits are B3 (niacin) which helps convert the food we eat into energy, supporting the nervous system and contributes to healthy skin. In addition B9 (folate) which plays a crucial role in the division of cells and the formation of DNA.

-Unsaturated Fats 

Hazelnuts unlike Chestnuts are high in fat compared to the other nuts. They primarily contain ‘healthy’ unsaturated fats. This includes monounsaturated fats. Such as oleic acid which are beneficial in many ways. For example, monounsaturated fats lead to better heart health as it helps lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowers the risk of heart disease, It does this by increasing ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) in the blood.

-Fibre

The fibre content within Hazelnuts is double that of the chest nuts containing 10g of fibre/100g. This being the key differences between chestnuts and hazelnuts.

-Calories 

The calorie content found within hazelnuts is considerably high when compared to the chestnuts. This is due to 100g of hazelnuts containing 628kcals. This put the characteristics of chestnuts to be considered better for weigh loss due to the significant difference in calories.