I think that I am quite right when I say that we eat most nuts during Christmas. We somehow keep forgetting them for the rest of the year if we do not take into account our champion products - Horalky, Tatranky, Lina and eventually a nut cake that we bake from time to time at home. More hairy and unshaved part of our population likes to eat nuts also with beer or wine. Some of them even think of it as of a purest form of vegetarianism – beer is produced from barley and hops, wine comes from grape and nuts...this is clear. Nuts are great source of proteins and other interesting components.
Let’s start with definition of a nut. It is a “pod” with hard shell with a core inside that has higher oil content. This is how I understand nuts. But there are also our scientists, for example our girls and boys from the Production preparation and development department, otherwise my favorites with regard to their knowledge. These educated individuals in food processing and botany would tell you that nuts are monospermous fruits with dry and solid skin from outside, so just hazelnuts would remain in that group in our case. Almonds and walnuts are the same “sort” than apricots because they have soft skin while growing at tree. Pine nuts are not nuts either but they are seeds similar to pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Interesting is that while for example tomatoes or potatoes were known only in America, sweet potatoes (topinambours) and spices in Asia, nuts were spread around the world in their actual form already in times of Gondwana, primeval mainland that was split into current continents during geologically active period. We have access to nuts at all continents since beginnings of human race. It seams that people found out very fast the advantages linked to consumption, storage and processing of these Earth’s gifts.
Nuts contain: - Proteins - Non-saturated fatty acids - Folic acid - E vitamin - B vitamin - Flavonoids, folic acid - Potassium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, manganese, copper.
Nuts, as delicacy replacing unhealthy finger food cocktail snacks, have much positive effects. I am convinced that similar to us who would like to give the best to our children also trees, where nuts grow, gave them as to their children the best they could. Moreover some studies state that nuts growing at road sides do not contain higher amount of plumbum coming from exhaust fumes as it was formerly assumed. Mother tree simply does not allow its children to have even a small trace of unsuitable characteristics of their parents. I think we should use them as an example sometimes.
Our nut friends: - stimulate immune system and functions of nervous system; - have antioxidant and anticancer effect; - decrease level of “bad” cholesterol with no impact on the "good" one; - help against tiredness and stimulate ability to concentrate. Fat content in nuts causes their quick oxidation. It is recommended to store them in closed non-metallic boxes in a dry, dark and cool place. To be more specific, we purchase in our case following dry products: peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds and coffee.
Peanuts
They do not belong among nuts but among legumes. Americans like to eat them as peanut butter. Very interesting is fact that peanut butter contains more proteins than cutlet. It has also a high content of B vitamin and linoleic acid. Their disadvantage is that more and more people develop allergy to peanuts. Our peanuts come currently from Argentina.
Hazelnuts
They are known already 5,000 years at the northern hemisphere. Hazelnuts have similar characteristics to peanuts but higher content of iron. They strengthen gums. Main producer of hazelnuts and dictator of their world prices is Turkey.
Almonds
You can read about almond trees already in the Old Testament. Greek began to grow them because they come from India. We use them mainly in desserts. Slightly bitter taste of almonds savors specific characteristics to various products. Contrary to other nuts, almonds protect against coronary heart disease and they work as stroke prevention agent. Methuselah lived 700 years and I am convinced that almonds helped him with that a lot.
Walnuts
Walnuts are the most widespread nuts after almonds, definitely in our region. They are spread at the northern hemisphere. Walnuts are the most effective eliminators of cholesterol. They act like a doping for our brain and liver thanks to the content of B vitamins and fatty acids.