Hazelnut Oil

Hazelnut Extract/Oil

What Is It?

Also known as Corylus avellana, hazelnut is a species of flowering plant in the birch family Betulaceae and is native to Europe and Western Asia [10].

How Does It Work in the Body?

Hazelnuts contain high amounts of protein, dietary fiber, vitamin E, iron, thiamin, phosphorus, manganese, and magnesium [11].

Hazelnuts are a significant source of total fat, accounting for 93% DV in a 100-g amount [11].

What Is It Used for?

Hazelnut has been used for high cholesterol and other forms of hyperlipidemia (high levels of fats in the blood), heart disease, dementia, and obesity; however, there is insufficient data to support these medicinal uses [12, 13].

Precautions/Side Effects:

Hazelnut is likely safe for most people in food amounts. But some people are allergic to hazelnuts and have had life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) [12, 13].

Evidence for and Against:

In a study, the nutraceutical potential of two hazelnut varieties (Turkey and Italy) were examined [14]:

Turkish hazelnut had the higher concentration of phenolic acids, flavonoids, higher antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibition properties, and lower saturated fatty acid concentration than the Italian sample.  

In vivo studies showed that compared to the Italian hazelnuts, the addition of Turkish hazelnuts to high-fat diet was associated with a more significant decrease in body weight, food consumption, atherogenic index, lipid peroxidation levels and biochemical/morphological markers of liver injury. The two hazelnut varieties were protective against β-amyloid-induced neurochemical changes and high-fat diet-induced iteration of metabolic indices.  

Dosage:

The appropriate dose of hazelnut depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. There is not sufficient scientific data to determine an appropriate range of doses for hazelnut [12, 13].

Interactions:

There is currently no information on hazelnut drug–drug interactions