Pine nuts: benefits and harm to the body

Siberian pine is an evergreen tree, whose life span reaches two hundred years. The first bumps begin to arise only after 25-30 years. Its fruits are fragrant nuts that also ripen for a long time. Today they are one of the most expensive varieties. The oblong small nucleoli are characterized by a yellow-white color and have an oily taste. Pine nuts are liked not only by people, but also by the inhabitants of the forest - bears, wild boars, and various rodents.

The beneficial and harmful properties of cedar fruits are still being studied. Such an tasty and valuable product was considered by the ancestors as a cure for all ailments, while foreigners gave it the name "Russian gold". But, in addition to the healing properties, cedar kernels possess qualities that limit their use in food.

Composition and calorie content

Cedar pine seeds are characterized by the presence of useful and nutritious components. They contain many vitamins.

IN 1. It promotes the breakdown of BZHU, processing them into energy, which is then consumed during physical activity, warming the body and even in the process of breathing. Also, the vitamin has an antioxidant effect. It helps protect cell membranes, making free radicals harder to get into cells. It is they who, starting interaction with each other, form compounds that become the cause of the development of cancer.

IN 2. It takes part in the synthesis of red blood cells, which are necessary for blood formation. In addition, this vitamin substance is able to produce anti-inflammatory hormones, which makes it useful in diseases such as cystitis, acne, etc.

PP It positively affects the vessels of the brain, expanding them, which leads to an improvement in blood supply. Niacin is even part of various drugs that are used as vasodilators.

FROM. Designed to protect the immune system. Pine nuts contain ascorbic acid. This means that the product is able to increase the body's resistance to various viruses and infections. Therefore, nuts are recommended for pregnant women, children and people who have had a serious illness or experienced a stressful situation.

E. It is characterized by an antioxidant property, strengthens cell membranes, like vitamin B1, and protects red blood cells that transport oxygen to cells. If tocopherol is insufficient in the body, the structure of red blood cells is disturbed by free radicals. This leads to insufficient nutrition of cells with oxygen.

In addition to its rich vitamin composition, pine nuts are also characterized by a high content of minerals.

1. Calcium, phosphorus - elements that are necessary for the development of bone tissue, protection against bone deformation. They are especially important during the period of gestation and in childhood, when there is a stage of active growth.
2. Potassium is responsible for muscle function and normalizes heart rate.Magnesium provides the assimilation of potassium, and also takes part in the process of cell metabolism.
3. Zinc is also present in pine nuts, participates in the formation of the skeletal system, in addition, this substance is characterized by the ability to regenerate skin.
4. When it enters the body, iron reacts with oxygen, resulting in the formation of hemoglobin molecules. Consequently, Siberian tree nuts are useful for anemia, that is, for low hemoglobin levels caused by iron deficiency in the blood.

Calorie content is quite high - 100 g of nucleoli have 675 kcal. A high-calorie product requires a daily dose so that it can only bring benefits to the body.

Useful properties of pine nuts

General benefit

A lot of useful properties are characteristic of a cedar fruit.

1. With regular consumption of nucleoli, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is established, metabolic processes in the human body are restored.
2. The product helps restore liver function, helps strengthen blood vessels and protects against the occurrence of atherosclerosis.
3. Cedar nuts have a beneficial effect in various inflammatory diseases in gynecology.
4. Cedar fruits also help with low blood pressure, help restore hormonal levels.
5. The product is able to strengthen joints and alleviate the condition of a person with arthritis, rheumatism.
6. An important property of nuts is protection against the development of cancer cells. Even in official medicine, the product is recommended for use in moderate dosage for the prevention of tumor diseases.

For women

The benefit of the cedar nucleolus for the female body is that the fruits are able to have an effective effect on gynecological problems. Nuts normalize the process of synthesis of female hormones, relieve inflammation, help restore the normal menstrual cycle, and also reduce the negative effects during menstruation. Nuts have a positive effect on the beauty of a woman. Fruits will help maintain youthful skin, tighten and cleanse it, as well as restore beauty and strength to hair.

If a woman has varicose veins, rubbing with cedar oil will help her. In diseases such as psoriasis, furunculosis or eczema, it is also possible to lubricate the affected areas of the skin with such oil. It contains a large number of antioxidant substances, which with constant use will help get rid of such diseases. Walnut oil is able to improve the condition of hair and nails, making their structure stronger and giving them a healthy look.

It is no secret that the beautiful half of humanity is prone to neurosis, chronic fatigue, and insomnia. If you prepare a tincture of pine nuts on wine from grapes and add a little honey, you can forget about such problems for a long time. Such a tool is also used for anemia and urolithiasis.

For men

The benefits of cedar fruits for men's health is a tonic effect. Nuts can improve sexual function and increase sexual desire. Also, the product is necessary for the health of the cardiovascular system. Nuts protect against the development of ischemia and heart attacks. In addition, with their regular use, brain activity increases, and the immune system also strengthens.

During pregnancy

During pregnancy, the inclusion of pine nuts in the diet improves blood clotting and normal fetal development. Cedar seeds protect the female body when carrying a child from a lack of calcium, which ensures the health of bones, teeth, nails. In addition, the nut will help regulate mood swings associated with hormonal changes in a pregnant woman.

Women in the period of bearing a child need magnesium, which is able to lower the tone of the uterus, resulting in a reduced risk of miscarriage.However, the use of pine nuts is possible only if there are no contraindications, for example, allergies.

When breastfeeding

During lactation, nuts are allowed to be added to the diet after 3 months, but it is important to take precautions. Often, nuts cause a severe allergic reaction. First you need to try a small amount of nuts and monitor the condition of the child in order to exclude the likelihood of a negative reaction in the baby.

For kids

The product is also useful for children, as it is able to provide the growing body with the necessary vitamins and minerals, improve mental activity and strengthen the nervous system. However, such positive properties of nuts for children can appear only after two years of age. Up to 2 years, the children's body will not be able to absorb the components of the product.

In certain diseases, the fruits of cedar can do more harm than good for the body, therefore, before giving a child nuts, it is important to consult a pediatrician.

When losing weight

It is noteworthy that even with high calorie pine nuts will help in the fight against excess weight. Fats found in fruits stimulate the production of a hormone such as cholecystokinin in the intestines. It suppresses the receptors that are responsible for the synthesis of hydrochloric acid by the gastric mucosa. This leads to the fact that the brain receives information that the body is full during eating. Consequently, a feeling of fullness comes much earlier, and the amount of food consumed with this is noticeably reduced.

Cedar fruits contribute to a decrease in appetite and lead to satiation in smaller portions. However, such an important property for losing weight is effective only if overeating is the cause of excess weight. If the fullness appeared due to metabolic disorders, then a nut of calorie will only add kilograms.

Use nuts for weight loss is recommended for raw food diet. Even the so-called mono-diets with the use of cedar fruits are known. However, only nuts can be consumed for 2-3 days, then they still need to be combined with other low-calorie foods.

Pine nut shell: benefits and harms

Healing properties have not only the kernel of the nut, but also its shell. It is characterized by a high content of fiber and protein, as well as various minerals. Therefore, it is not necessary to throw it away. It is used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, it is used as a wound healing agent and to strengthen bones.

The use of funds based on pine nutshells should be discarded if there is a predisposition to thrombosis. This is due to the fact that the shell contains tannins, which thicken the blood.

Since the hard parts of pine nuts cannot be used without treatment, they are used to obtain a medicinal decoction. To do this, about three tablespoons of the shell should be poured with a glass of water and cook for 30 minutes over low heat. After this, the liquid must be filtered. Such a decoction helps with kidney diseases. At the same time, during the month you need to take a drink three times a day, 70 ml each. Such a decoction will also be useful in case of problems such as stomatitis and periodontal disease. To do this, it is enough to prepare a strong drink based on the husks of a nut and rinse their mouth.

For wounds, burns and eczema, this tool can be used externally, treating damaged areas several times a day.

The benefits of pinecone urbech

Urbek is a healthy pasty treat brought from Dagestan. It is made in the process of grinding the raw fruits of a cedar tree. By production, selected nuts grown in ecologically clean areas are used.If a little oil appears on the surface of the finished product, this indicates that the paste is natural, it does not contain thickeners and various other additives.

Pine nut urbech is characterized by the presence of a number of vitamins and mineral components. Among them there are vitamins of group B, E, iodine, lecithin. It is able to remove harmful substances from the body, it is considered a natural source of protein of plant origin. Urbek strengthens the protective membrane of the body, has a positive effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails.

Production is carried out only from raw materials collected in an environmentally safe place, without heat treatment, which allows you to preserve the unique properties of pine nuts. Due to the lack of sugar and various preservatives in the product, it is perfectly absorbed by the body.

The paste is allowed for use during pregnancy, as well as in childhood. Contraindication is only intolerance to the components. The method of using the product is quite simple. You just need to spread the paste on the bread or add to the cottage cheese, cereals or other dishes. Urbech will make any dish more delicious. The product can be used during the diet, but it is important to adhere to certain dosages, as it has a high calorie content. You can use urbec for breakfast or lunch, which will allow all useful components to be better absorbed.

Pine nut oil: properties and applications

Cedarwood fruit oil has a unique set of beneficial properties that helps get rid of various diseases. They get the product by cold pressing, therefore all vitamins, macro- and microelements are stored in it. And in terms of their number, pine nut oil is ahead of any vegetable oil, even olive or burdock. It surpasses fish oil in the amount of unsaturated fatty acids.

Cedar oil is used as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent that will help with diathesis, eczema, vitamin deficiency. The product helps to restore metabolic processes, has an antihistamine effect, relieves intoxication reactions, and helps with baldness. The method of application, dosage and duration of treatment depend on the particular disease. Usually, a teaspoon of oil is consumed three times a day for ten days. After this, a five-day break is made, and treatment is resumed again. Such courses last up to three months.

The benefits of tincture on pine nuts

Using tincture of pine nuts in the autumn and winter period will protect against colds, flu, and if the disease is already present, the drink will speed up recovery. Also, tincture is used to restore the water-salt balance, it is used for arthritis, gout, and in cases where the deposition of salts in the body occurs. In addition, this tool is effective for pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract: ulcers, colitis, gastritis. A drink is used for gallstone disease, for the treatment of liver pathologies and various skin problems.

Tincture of cedar fruits has a therapeutic effect with high blood pressure, neurosis, allergies. For the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases, tincture is recommended to use 20 drops three times a day.

The use of cedar tincture for myoma and mastopathy is also known. In this case, you need to take a clean tincture made from the shell of the fruit in the proportion of three tablespoons of raw materials per glass of vodka. The resulting mixture should be corked and filtered after 9 days. For treatment, you need to drink two tablespoons.

To prepare tincture on cedar nuts, a glass of chopped nuts and two glasses of vodka are required. The fruits should first be washed and dried, and then with a hammer to clear them from the shell. It is important to use whole, undamaged kernels; rotten and moldy kernels must be disposed of. The shell and peeled kernels need to be poured with vodka and the container tightly sealed.The drink should be aged in a dark place for about two weeks. The finished tincture should be filtered and placed in the refrigerator. It can be stored for a year.

Pine nuts in medicine

Cedar nuts are widely used in traditional medicine. On the basis of nuts and their shells, various tinctures and decoctions, as well as cosmetics, are produced. There are many recipes using cedar seeds. However, this does not mean that the fruits of the Siberian plant can be cured of any disease. This product can only provide therapeutic support to the body, and also act as a prophylactic.

With diabetes

Pine nuts can benefit a person with diabetes. As you know, cedar seeds contain a lot of protein, which is absorbed much better than protein from poultry meat. Also, the fruits contain a large number of amino acids, vitamins, mineral elements, which help strengthen the patient's body. An important property of nuts is the ability to quickly saturate and reduce the likelihood of overeating, which is very dangerous for diabetes.

In case of diabetes, nuts are recommended to be consumed in the morning. You should not combine such a product with meat or fish, as in this case there will be an excess of protein in the body.

Important: glycemic index of pine nuts - 15 units.

With pancreatitis

During an exacerbation of pancreatitis, the use of cedar fruits is contraindicated. They at this stage can only harm the body, as they can have an irritating effect on the pancreas.

As for the period of remission, then pine nuts will be beneficial. This product will have an analgesic effect and protect against the development of a repeated inflammatory process.

Cedar fruits for chronic pancreatitis should be consumed very carefully, eating no more than 40–45 g per day. It is recommended to eat seeds before taking the main course, but this should not be done if a person experiences a strong feeling of hunger.

With this disease, you can make tea based on the fruits of Siberian cedar. To prepare it, you need to add one teaspoon of nuts to a regular drink.

With gastritis

With exacerbation of gastritis, healing pine nuts can be used to reduce the unpleasant manifestations of the disease. To do this, peel the nuts and grind them with a blender or mortar, and then mix with the same amount of honey.

To use such a remedy is necessary three times a day, one tablespoon, about half an hour before a meal. Such treatment should be continued for a month, while observing a therapeutic diet. This contributes to the fact that the pain in the stomach will decrease, the inflammatory process will recede, and the secretion of gastric juice will normalize.

For constipation

Pine nuts are the lightest of all varieties of nuts. It contains very little fiber. The protein in the composition of cedar seeds very quickly undergoes digestion and assimilation by the human body, has a slightly spicy taste and a pleasant smell.

Cedar nuts are used to treat constipation and help normalize bowel function. To do this, eat raw nuts or use them for cooking meat and vegetable dishes. It is enough to eat up to 20 nucleoli per day.

With gout

Use cedar kernels in the diet of a patient with gout is possible only if the disease is in remission. The product is able to provide the patient with the necessary vitamins and minerals. The stage of exacerbation of gout is a contraindication to the use of seeds.

With hemorrhoids

It is also possible to alleviate the symptoms of hemorrhoids when using the fruits of a cedar tree, or rather, nutshells.To prepare the remedy, you need a tablespoon of walnut husk, which should be poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 60 minutes, wrapped in a towel. After this, the liquid must be filtered. The finished infusion should be taken two tablespoons 3-5 times a day, given the condition of the patient. Treatment should be continued for a month.

Pine nuts in cosmetology

The beneficial properties of cedar fruits have found wide application in the field of cosmetology in the preparation of recipes for personal care. Kernels take care of the health and beauty of the skin and hair. Cedar seed masks prevent hair loss.

For face

Nuts contribute to toning, deep cleansing and tightening of the skin. For example, with dry and normal skin type, you can use the following mask: chop the walnut husks with a blender until a homogeneous powder is obtained and dilute it with olive oil and oatmeal. All components must be thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mixture is obtained and applied to the face. The mask should be kept for about 20 minutes. If such a procedure is carried out twice a week, then in a short time the skin will become softer, all acne and inflammation will disappear for a long time.

You can prepare another cleanser - scrub. To obtain such a mask, you will need the same ingredients as in the previous case, but you do not need to add oil. Thus, the ground shell must be diluted with boiling water, add a little oatmeal and grind all the ingredients in a blender. The result is a scrub with small solid particles. The finished mask should be applied to pre-cleansed face skin with massage movements and hold for 30 minutes. Such a tool removes acne and black spots.

For hair

Pine nuts contain a number of useful elements that will help restore the structure of the hair. When using such masks, the curls will be protected from section, the process of combing will become easier.

1. For brittle and thin hair, you can use a mask based on pine nuts. Such a product includes only two ingredients. So, you need a small glass of peeled cedar seeds and three tablespoons of water. Pine nuts need to be crushed in a mortar. Then gradually add water until a thick slurry is obtained. After that, the mass must be laid out in a container made of ceramic or heat-resistant glass and placed in an oven heated to 150 degrees for half an hour. Ready “cedar milk” should be applied evenly and rubbed into the scalp every day for two weeks.
2. You can cook a cedar mask, which will relieve dandruff. To do this, you need equal amounts of cedar seed oil, vodka and freshly made strong tea. It will be enough to take one tablespoon of each ingredient. Further, all elements should be mixed and applied to the hair, especially rubbing into the roots. The mask must be kept for two hours. After this, wash off the mass with shampoo and rinse your head. It is enough to carry out such a procedure twice a week for a month: the problem of dandruff will be eliminated.
3. To prepare a firming cedar mask, you need to prepare one tablespoon of cedar oil, kefir, cognac, sea salt and honey, as well as two tablespoons of onion juice. All ingredients should be mixed alternately, adding onion juice last. The finished mixture must be applied to the hair, rubbing into the scalp and distributing the mass along the entire length. Next, you need to cover your head with polyethylene and a towel and leave for 60 minutes. At the end of the procedure, the mask must be washed off with shampoo and rinsed with water, to which you need to add a little apple cider vinegar (at the rate of 50 ml of vinegar per liter of water).

The use of pine nuts in cooking

Pine nuts will make the taste of any dish special. This product is used for the preparation of various dishes, including fish, meat. It is also added to recipes in the manufacture of desserts and pastries.According to their nutritional properties, cedar fruits can replace a glass of milk or a serving of meat, which is why seeds are especially appreciated among vegetarians.

Crispy cookie

For breakfast, you can make crispy cookies according to a simple and quick recipe. Of the ingredients, you will need 100 g of butter, a glass of flour, 50 g of sugar, an egg, half a bag of baking powder, 100 g of pine nut and a little salt.

First you need to beat the butter with sugar and salt. Then, in turn, add the egg, nuts and flour with baking powder to the dough. Next, knead the dough. After this, you need to grease the baking sheet with oil and put on it the pieces of dough formed in the form of small balls, leaving a distance of a few centimeters between them. Bake for about 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

Salad

You can also prepare a delicious salad that will decorate any holiday table. In addition, the dish turns out low-calorie and brings great benefits to the human body due to its rich vitamin and mineral composition.

So, you will need the following ingredients: 250 g of cabbage, 1 avocado and bell pepper, 100 g of cedar seeds, two fresh cucumbers, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt to taste, a little olive oil, about 200 g of ready-made Iceberg salad and greens.

First you need to chop the iceberg lettuce, peppers, cucumbers and cabbage. Grind greens also. Cut avocado and sprinkle with lemon juice so that the product does not darken. Fry the nuts in a dry frying pan until a golden hue is obtained. It remains only to mix all the components, season with olive oil and salt to taste.

Harm and contraindications

A contraindication to the use of pine nuts is a tendency to allergic reactions. Nuts, namely the oil in their composition, is a product that often provokes allergies. That is, the body often perceives the fetal proteins as foreign and begins to synthesize histamine, which manifests itself in the form of an allergic reaction. This is especially common when using tinctures.

In this regard, pregnant women in the early stages are not recommended to eat nuts and use peanut butter. The woman’s immune system during this period works hard, trying to protect the future baby, therefore it can negatively react even to those products that never caused allergies. In addition, the body of a pregnant woman at the initial stage of gestation contains very little histamine in the blood, since even the fetus itself is to some extent a foreign body.

Cedar nut is a high-calorie product, so it should not be consumed by children who follow a diet due to obesity. Although the seeds are very useful, but a high degree of calorie content can harm with this disease. Also, people with obesity are not recommended to use tinctures with the addition of honey.

If you eat about 50 grams of nuts or a few tablespoons of oil every day, you should exclude dairy products and meat from the diet, as there is a risk of over-saturation of the body with protein. This can create additional stress on the kidneys. With the daily use of nuts or butter based on them, the amount of meat and dairy products must be reduced.

Do not buy cedar fruits in a peeled form. If the shell is removed immediately after harvest, the nuts may have a bitter taste. It is better to buy unpeeled nuts, as the shell protects the nucleoli from the negative effects of sunlight.

How to choose and store pine nuts

Perhaps not everyone knows that low-quality products can cause poisoning. Therefore, when choosing a pine nut in the store, you need to consider some points.

First of all, you need to remember that it is best to buy nuts in the shell. In purified nucleoli, under the influence of the sun, oxidative processes occur faster, which negatively affects the taste properties of the product, and also reduces the amount of nutrients. The shell protects the seeds from exposure to light, preserving all the beneficial components.

Cedar fruits are harvested in September-October, therefore, the production date on the package should coincide with the beginning of autumn.

The safest nuts are those that are stored in a vacuum package, as they are protected from mold and exposure to various microorganisms. As for nuts by weight, it is better to refuse such a purchase. In the best case, such a product will not bring the body any benefit, in the worst - it will cause a severe allergic reaction. Bitter fruits contain poisons that become the causative agent of severe poisoning in the human body.

Keep pine nuts in the refrigerator, away from sunlight. Fruits are recommended to be placed in a vacuum package or a tightly closed container. Inshell nuts can be stored for two years, while preserving all the vitamins and minerals. Peeled fruits are able to retain their beneficial components for no more than two weeks. Do not freeze the product.

How to eat pine nuts

Cedar nuts are recommended to be used raw. When frying, the taste of the product does not change for the better, in addition, in this case, some of the vitamins and minerals are lost. Nuts can be mixed with honey, added to granola. Walnut with cottage cheese, with any chocolate goes well, the main thing is not to heat the fruits. Also, a nut can be an ingredient in various fresh salads.

How much can you eat per day

The benefits and harms of any product depend on the daily allowance. This also applies to cedar seeds. They should not be abused, since digestion can be harmed. The average daily dosage of pine nuts is not more than 50 g for a healthy person. In this case, only raw fruits should be consumed. When roasted, nuts become more nutritious. If this norm is exceeded, allergic manifestations are possible due to the accumulation of a substance in the body. Such reactions are manifested by skin rash, urticaria, as well as disorders of the gastrointestinal tract - vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea.

Can I eat at night

Although pine nuts are very beneficial for human health, they should not be abused. Although there are many vitamins and other important elements found in nuts, you need to consider that eating fruits at night is not the best option. Of course, 5-6 fruits will not cause harm, but their excess can be dangerous. As already mentioned, the product has a high calorie content, so you should not eat nuts at night, otherwise you may later encounter the problem of excess weight.

How to peel pine nuts

Pine nuts have a hard shell that cannot be cracked by hand. To clean the fruit, a special garlic maker or simple pliers are used. You can use a hammer for this purpose.

Some people think that nuts need to be fried to make the husk more fragile. However, it is not recommended to do this, since when exposed to high temperature, most of the useful properties of the product are lost.

Why are pine nuts bitter?

Bitterness in pine nuts appears during a chemical reaction. As you know, a large amount of vegetable oil is found in the nucleoli, which contains glycerides of linoleic, oleic and linolenic acids. The molecules of these substances have double bonds between atoms, which provides them with a liquid consistency at room temperature.But at the same time, such components are characterized by high reactivity. For example, in the air they are easily oxidized, and various compounds are formed, which make the taste of nuts very bitter. It is hardly possible to get poisoning from such a product, but such fruits taste not very pleasant.

Can I give pine nuts to animals

Pine nut is easily digested and has a number of important properties for the body. However, this does not mean that the dog can be given nucleoli in large quantities. It needs moderation. A pet can be given several cedar seeds, but not every day.

As for cats, cedar nuts are contraindicated for them. They contain a lot of phosphorus, which in large doses is dangerous for the pet. Often the cause of animal poisoning is precisely products with a high content of this substance. Symptoms include weakness, refusal of food and water, and severe vomiting. Another reason why nuts should not be given to cats is the presence of fat in them. The digestive system of the animal is not able to cope with such a load. Subsequently, the pet may develop liver failure, which is difficult to treat.

Interesting facts about pine nuts

1. A handful of cedar kernels used with honey or to make a salad can increase male libido.
2. Residents of Siberian regions boiled cedar seeds in milk and used the drink to relieve symptoms of the common cold.
3. Husk of cedar fruits can be used for drainage system.
4. One of the national dishes of Spain is paella. For cooking, flour obtained from cedar nuts is used.
5. Scientists have proved that adding shells and cedar cake to the bath will help get rid of tuberculosis.

Photo pine nuts