The Journal of Nutrition recently published a study that stated that making hazelnut a part of one’s daily diet can be beneficial for one’s overall health. Administered by the
Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, the study found that the levels of two key micronutrients in older adults improved significantly when hazelnuts were added to their diets. For the purpose of the study, participants were asked to consume hazelnuts for a period of 16 weeks. Blood and urine samples and anthropomorphic measures of the participants were taken at the start and end of the intervention in order to determine plasma and serum concentrations of magnesium, lipids, glucose, insulin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein along with urinary vitamin E metabolites.
The objective of the study was to determine whether daily hazelnut consumption for 16 weeks improved biomarkers of micronutrient status, especially vitamin E and magnesium.
Hazelnuts are an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium. Expectedly, the findings of the study showed increased blood concentrations of magnesium and elevated urinary levels of a breakdown product of alpha-tocopherol, commonly known as vitamin E. When compared to the people didn’t consume nuts, the participants who consumed hazelnuts saw positive changes in their overall health. These changes increased, along with the number of servings they consumed. While the participants who consumed hazelnuts once a week a small but significant change, the participants who consumed them seven times a day had almost twice the benefit.
