Pine Nuts Health Benefits

When you think of nuts the first thing that comes to your mind is walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans and even peanuts! Pine nuts is one of the least mentioned nuts. Botanically speaking, pine nuts are not nuts, but they are the edible seeds of pine trees. You must be wondering what are the health benefits of pine nuts that come from pine cones. Well, there are many pine nuts health benefits, that may prove to be helpful to your cardiovascular system. Let me answer your question 'are pine nuts healthy?' for you, in detail. Read more on walnut health benefits.

Nutritional Benefits of Pine Nuts
Nutritional benefits of 135g of dried pine nuts are:

• Calories: 909 k calories
• Protein: 31g
• Carbohydrate: 18g
• Total Fat: 91g
• Fiber: 5g
• Cholesterol: 0g
• Sodium: 3 mg
• Magnesium: 251 mg
• Calcium: 16 mg
• Vitamin E: 9.33 mg
• Vitamin B3: 4.387 mg
• Sugars: 3.59 g
Iron: 5.53 mg

As you will see, pine nuts contain most of the vital nutrients required by our body. They are also a good source of zinc, vitamin B2 and potassium. Know more on nutrional value of nuts.

Health Benefits of Pine Nuts
Pine nuts contain the highest amount of proteins, found in any nut. Pine nuts are the only source of pinoleic acid, that helps in stimulating the hormones that act as appetite supresents. A handful of pine nuts have enough pinoleic acid, that can stimulate the intestines to produce hormones called as CCK. This CCK signals the brain to turn off the hungry mode. Thus, slowing down the stomach's rate of digestion and giving you a feeling of full stomach. This is great for those who are watching their weight or are dieting.

Pine nuts are also the only nuts with highest concentration of oleic acid. Oleic acid is a mono-saturated fat that helps the liver to eliminate harmful triglycerides from the body. They are also great for your heart, as they contain the same mono-saturated fats as in olive oil. They help reduce cholesterol and protect the arteries from damage, thus preventing heart attacks.

Pine nuts have high antioxidants, that help protect the cells from damage due to free radicals. They are power packed with iron, that helps in increasing the hemoglobin level of the blood. Pine nuts also contain magnesium that helps in reliving muscle cramps, fatigue and tension.

Pine nuts are extracted to produce oil, that is very famous for its nutty and mild flavor. In southwest America, a special coffee known as 'Pinon', is made from pine nuts. This is a dark roast coffee. that has a deep, nutty flavor. They are regularly included in fish recipes, vegetarian recipes and meat dishes as a source of dietary fiber.

With the above information on pine nuts health benefits, I am sure you must have got your answer to the question 'are pine nuts healthy for you?'. If you are trying to lose weight and need to maintain a healthy diet, do eat some pine nuts. Read more on types of edible nuts. These health benefits of pine nuts will surely prove to be a healthy choice for health conscious people.