Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts, also called "filberts", are grown in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley. Blue Diamond® offers a full line of hazelnut products:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hazelnut History
Hazelnuts or Filberts date back to ancient times. Old Chinese manuscripts indicate their use is as old as agricultural history, going back nearly 5,000 years. Hazelnut culture was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and the nuts were thought to have medicinal qualities in addition to their food value.
The name Filbert is believed to originate from the term "full beard" referring to the husk that entirely covers the nut. Others believe the name was derived from Saint Philibert. Hazelnuts are grown in many countries and are now considered the world's second most plentiful nut. Nearly 98% of the U.S. production is grown in Oregon, which makes up about 3% to 4% of the total world Hazelnut supply.
A one-ounce serving of roasted Hazelnuts is a rich source of vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, vitamin E, copper and magnesium. They also contain significant levels of phosphorus, iron and thiamine. Fat content is about 55% and is primarily monounsaturated.
Hazelnuts are harvested during the months of September and October. Domestic production makes up approximately 3% of the world supply; therefore, prices are influenced greatly by foreign output. Increasing numbers of major food companies are using Hazelnuts for dairy, bakery, cereal and confectionery products.
