What Are Pine Nuts?
Pine nuts are edible seeds produced by pines that can be used for a number of culinary purposes. Both the nuts themselves and their oil are used in this manner. There are only 20 types of pines that have pine nuts large enough to be worth eating. While the other types have pine nuts that are edible, they are simply too small to be significant to humans. Pine nuts are generally regarded for their health benefits along with their distinct taste Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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When you look at a pine cone the first thing you might notice are the many "scales" shooting out from the center. These are actually protecting the pine nuts that sit underneath them. Pine nuts themselves have a hard shell that is brown to black in color depending on the variety. Inside is the edible nut that is a bit paler in color. The pine nuts most seen in culinary use range anywhere from 10 to 15 centimeters in length.
Features
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Pine nuts are composed of between 10 to 34 percent proteins, depending on the species. The Stone Pine, for example, has the highest protein content at 34 percent. They also feature a good deal of dietary fiber. These nutrients are found in the female gametophytic tissue that is located in a pine nut and encases pine embryos. The pine nut shell holds the actual pine nut and when left attached causes the pine nut to go rancid very quickly.
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Benefits
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Pine nuts as they are happen to be a good source of fiber and protein, which is why they are used in so many different recipes. They also contain other important nutrients, such as vitamin B1 and thiamine. Pine nut oil is extracted and used in recipes as well. It is particularly important to the health of a person because the oil contains strong antioxidants that prevent the formation of dangerous free radicals in the body.
Warning
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There are a small percentage of pine nuts on the market that affect taste for a few days after they are eaten. It is thought that these pine nuts are those packaged in Asian countries, namely China. About a day or so after they are eaten, a strong metallic taste is noted by some people, which can last for a few more days and affect the taste of other foods. It is thought that this occurs because of the triglycerides in the pine nuts formed by the unsaturated fatty acids in them.
Geography
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Pine nuts are grown and harvested across the world. Each area of the world hosts certain types of pine nuts, which allows greater diversity among distributors. In Asia there are two species that are mainly harvested, the Korean Pine and the Chilgoza Pine. In Europe, the main pine tree that is grown is the Stone Pine, which has been a major product for over 6,000 years. North America produces a different set of three pines. The pine nuts in particular are harvested on Native American soil.
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