Pine Nut Problems
Pine nuts are from the species Pinus, the cones of which produce the large, edible seeds that are often used in cooking. Pine nuts are grown in Asia, North America, Europe and the Near East. There are some drawbacks associated with the use of pine nuts. Does this Spark an idea?
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Harvesting
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Harvesting pine nuts is quite a bit of work, since the nuts require heating to remove them from the pine cone. This extra labor makes pine nuts rather expensive in comparison to other nuts. Most areas require permits to harvest and sell more than 25 pounds of pine nuts from public land. Picking less than 25 pounds of pine nuts is considered harvesting for recreational use and no permit is required.
Pine Nut Syndrome
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Pine nut syndrome is also known as pine nut mouth and is a side effect from eating certain types of pine nuts. Pine nuts from China have been found to cause a metallic taste to linger in the mouth in certain people for up to two weeks after ingestion. Most cases of pine nut syndrome clear up on their own, but will return if pine nuts are eaten again.
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Tree Nut Allergies
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Consuming pine nuts can cause allergic reactions in those allergic to tree nuts. According to the Food Allergy Initiative, pine nuts are considered tree nuts in the United States. Those who have tree-nut allergies often have reactions to multiple types of nuts, so it is not recommended for tree-nut allergy sufferers to eat pine nuts or dishes such as Pesto, which contain pine nuts.
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References
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