Pine nut is a delicacy whose useful qualities have been known since antiquity. Seeds of Siberian pine are a real storehouse of nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. In addition, nuts have a pronounced taste and coniferous smell, which makes them a delicious component of gourmet dishes.
Peeling nutshell
Today, pine cone kernels can be found in any supermarket. Usually they are sold in purified form by weight. When purchasing pine nuts, you should certainly pay attention to the shelf life, since the product can be stored in cleaned form for no more than two weeks. After this period, the seeds may become rancid due to the high content of oils in them.
Important! The peeled seeds of the Siberian pine, packed by vacuum, are stored much longer.
Therefore, choosing pine nuts, it is better to opt for an inshell product. The biggest problem with their use is their peeling. Many remove kernels the old fashioned way, gnawing them with their teeth. However, this is fraught and may end with a trip to the dentist.
Also, for cleaning nuts, often use an improvised tool - a hammer and pliers. But this can damage not only the shell, but also its contents.
However, there are small tricks, correctly applying which you can peel nuts without much difficulty. The seed shell becomes brittle when the product is cooled or heated strongly. So, nuts can be put in the freezer for several hours or roasted in a hot frying pan for 10-15 minutes. In addition, the product can be soaked in boiling water for 15-30 minutes.
How to eat nuts
Due to its incomparable taste, pine nuts are suitable for use both raw and toasted. In addition, of these often prepare desserts, as well as various tinctures. The shell of nuts, which in crushed form becomes an excellent skin scrub, does not go unnoticed. And extract from seeds is widely used in cosmetology.
Raw
As a snack, raw peeled kernels are very popular among athletes, pregnant and lactating women, as well as schoolchildren and students. After all a small handful of raw pine nuts relieves fatigue and stress during the working day, and also helps to quickly recover strength during intense workouts and training loads.
Cedar flour used in some Siberian recipes is also made from raw kernels. No less popular is pine oil.
Did you know? In ancient times, the collection of pine nuts on foreign territory was considered a serious crime among the Indian tribes of North America. This often caused bloody skirmishes.
Fried
Undoubtedly, in their natural form pine nuts preserve the composition of vitamins and nutritional properties. Fried kernels of seeds of Siberian pine lose some of their nutritional properties, but benefit due to taste. The coniferous aroma of pine nuts becomes pronounced, and they themselves are more crispy and piquant in taste.
In this form, kernels are most often used in cooking to add to salads, pastries or in the preparation of healthy sweets.
How much to eat
Due to the high calorie content of pine nuts: 680 kilocalories per 100 g of product, it is worth eating them in a limited amount. The norm in the diet of a healthy person should be no more than 100 g per week, otherwise, together with the benefits of the kernel, they can cause some harm. First of all, excessive consumption of cedar nuts on the menu threatens to be overweight.
The use of pine nuts in simple recipes
Pine nuts can be added to the diet, using it in the preparation of certain dishes.. So, children will like a treat with seeds of cones, filled with sugar caramel. To do this, melt the sugar in water (1: 1), without stirring it, and mix with one part of the nuts. After that, sweets are poured into molds and cooled.
Very useful bread with the addition of Siberian kernels and other seeds, baked on the basis of rye flour.
A good prevention of colds during cold weather will be a balm based on seeds of Siberian pine.
To prepare it you will need:
- kernels: 500 g;
- sea buckthorn berries: 100 g;
- liquid honey: 100 g.
Mix and store the ingredients in a dark, cool place. Consume one tablespoon per day.
Did you know? Northern peoples, when the first signs of a cold appeared, boiled pine nuts in milk and drank this broth.
The famous Italian pesto sauce is prepared on the basis of pine nuts. To do this, you will need:
- purified kernels: 30 g;
- basil greens: 100 g;
- Parmesan cheese: 50 g;
- olive oil: 100 ml;
- garlic: 2-3 cloves;
- a pinch of salt.
Step-by-step cooking instructions:
- Roast pine nuts for 10-15 minutes.
- Separate basil leaves from petioles.
- Grate the cheese on a fine grater.
- Chop the garlic.
- Combine the ingredients, grind with a blender or in a mortar.
- Salt to taste.
Video: Basil and pine nuts pesto sauce
Very popular, especially among residents of Siberia and the Urals, cedar seed tincture. For its preparation, 100 g of nuts, together with the shell, are crushed and filled with alcohol. Insist in a dark place for 30 days and take 10-15 drops daily.
Besides, fragrant kernels perfectly complement vegetable and fruit salads. The only ingredient with which the seeds of Siberian pine are poorly combined is meat. This combination contains an excessive amount of protein.
The benefits of eating nuts
If you eat nuts correctly and in the right quantities, you can significantly improve the quality of life.
- So, this product has the following useful properties:
- Lowers bad blood cholesterol.
- Improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- It is an excellent antioxidant.
- Supports the body with stress and high loads.
- Improves blood composition.
- Increases mental activity.
- Positive effect on vision.
- Increases concentration.
- Improves the condition of the skin, hair and nails.
- Helps maintain masculine strength.
- Improves the composition and quality of breast milk.
Despite the fact that Siberian nuts are very useful for a growing child’s body, you should be extremely careful when adding kernels to a child’s food. The product is not recommended for children under three years of age. The first dose should be no more than 2-3 cores per day. If the baby’s body reacts positively to a new product, you can gradually increase the dose to 10-15 g per day.
Important! When breastfeeding, it is better to introduce pine nuts in your diet no earlier than the baby turns 3 months old to exclude the development of allergies and gastrointestinal problems.
Pine nuts are undoubtedly a nutritious and very tasty element in the diet of modern man. Eating kernels for food is not only a gastronomic pleasure, but also a significant health benefit, the prevention of colds, as well as preserving beauty and youth for many years.
