Hazelnut: "Pangi ki thangi" ( A lesser known miracle nut)

Today as I was eating this weird looking fruit or nut, it came to my mind that what is this really????... my father told me this is thangi.. Then I googled and voila search showed hazelnut😱... And I was like ohhh this is how hazelnut looks...If you don't know hazelnut is a  key ingredient in chocolates and Nutella spreads, specially in the products of  Ferrero which is the world’s third largest chocolate-makers. Now you remember, right????☺️ and also it is second most expensive nut In the world. 

It needs cold and hilly terrain with a few days of sub-zero temperature, therefore, in India,  hazelnut trees cultivation is mainly done in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Northern Easter Himalayan, and Uttarakhand. Hazelnuts are called 'Pahadi Badaam', Findak', 'bindak' or 'Phindak' in Hindi. So guys here I'm going to talk over Himachali hazelnuts (as I have to promote my state 😅). Our hazelnuts (locally called ‘ghay bija’) have been sourced from Nichar Valley of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh (6900 ft.). It is among a handful of places in India where Hazelnuts are cultivated.

Hazelnut trees are found growing wild in Shimla, Kinnaur and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh. 

Locals walk through the jungle and collect these delicious and healthy hazelnuts during the harvest season.

Efforts are being made by the Forest Department with the help of locals to cultivate more hazelnut trees around Pangi Valley and to increase the buisness....soon it will be ready to rock the tables of every 

Uses:

*Hazel nuts are rich source of proteins, carbohydrates, unsaturated fatty acid, vitamins and essential minerals. They are used as a human food since primitive days and even used as cows fodder.

*Improves cardiovascular health as they  contain heart healthy fats i.e. omega- 3 content that can protects the heart health. 

*High in healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat and low in unhealthier unsaturated fats.

*Good for Bones as the contain manganese which is required for strength and growth of bones.

*Improves skin health as they are rich in vitamin E which is important for maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails.

*Hazelnut helps to nervous system to operate properly.

*Packed with antioxidants and prevents the body from oxidative stress which increases the threat of developing certain types of cancer, therefore, manganese superoxide dismutase , one of the antioxidant enzymes present in  hazelnuts — helps in  decreasing oxidative stress and helps in reducing the threat of developing cancer.

*Contain vitamin E, which helps cover cells against the types of cellular damage that can lead to cancer.

*Improves hypertension

*High in fiber so makes it good part of a healthy diet. 

Hope this information will be useful to you...

And text time you are going to grab handful of hazelnuts for yourself...

Till then bye bye... 

With love,

Dreamingvet❤️❤️