Easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

 

A perfect fall dessert, delicious pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. I love this recipe for so many reasons – first of all there’s pumpkin involved, second it mad e with rich cream cheese frosting. Combined, they’re the perfect way to fit.. >> Read More

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Natural or roasted hazelnut, how is it healthier?

 

Hazelnuts are one of the most beneficial nuts for the body, rich in minerals and vitamin E and B6, ideal for the nervous and immune system. With about 15 hazelnuts a day we cover 21% of the vitamin E we need. We cannot abuse them, as they are very caloric and can cause overweight.

Some people think that buying them toasted is less recommended than eating them raw, but what is the truth in that?

Better with shell
The first thing we should keep in mind when buying hazelnuts is that it is always better to do it with the shell, clean and unroasted. The peel serves to protect them and helps to preserve their properties. But since hazelnut shells are more difficult to open than other nuts, it is often more practical to buy them peeled and packaged. This is where we find the option to buy them raw or toasted.

The reality is that hazelnuts, whether raw or roasted, are equally rich in fats, especially omega 9, omega 6, and omega 3. They are also rich in vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. When we roast hazelnuts, the fats and antioxidants are the elements that are most affected.

Therefore, we might think that it is better to eat roasted hazelnuts since they have less fat. However, this is not exactly the case either, since roasting alters the quality of fats if they are subjected to too high temperatures. Of course, their flavor is enhanced and they are also easier to digest.

The main difference, the taste
In fact, the main difference between a raw or roasted hazelnut is its taste. Its aroma is due to a substance called filbertone, present in natural hazelnuts and which multiplies by 600 when they are roasted or fried.

Thus, choosing between raw or roasted hazelnut may depend on our tastes or the use we want to give it. If we want to use them to prepare homemade cocoa cream, it will be better to use them toasted because of their strong aroma.

Raw hazelnuts are equally tasty, sweet, and with a nutty flavor. But they are high in fat. Being devoid of shell, these essential fats are exposed and this causes raw hazelnuts to go rancid and spoil sooner. They can also be attacked by molds and yeasts, which makes them more difficult to keep for longer.

So, if we buy raw hazelnuts without shell, it is best to consume them in a short time so that they do not spoil. Toasts, precisely for this reason, are more resistant and keep longer. However, they slightly lose their properties.