Spotlight on Hazelnuts

Yep, that is some chocolate that you can see there :-)

Spotlight on: Hazelnut

There is a lot of information these days on what is not in a product and what is in a product. I thought I would take it one step further and breakdown exactly what is in one of the main oils that we use here at White Cloud; the small but very mighty nut; Hazelnut

What is a hazelnut?

The hazelnut comes from the fruit of the hazel tree (INCI: Corylus), it also known as the Filbert nut of Cobnut. Most hazelnuts that are consumed come from the Hazel species: Corylus avellana. The fruit has a hard outer fibrous husk that ripens, after about eight months, and the nut falls away from the husk. It is this nut that is used for a variety of modes, from culinary: hazelnut pastes such as Nutella, and pralines, to even to the most delicious liqueur, Frangelico. The hazelnut oil is produced by cold pressing the nut. Cold pressing refers to the process of extracting the oils through the use of pressure rather than solvents. Only low amounts of heat will be generated thus the term “cold-pressing”.

History

The humble hazelnut is noted to have been consumed as far back as the Mesolithic times, so about 8,000 years ago and in some cases was seen as the main staple of people’s diet. The Greeks and Romans are said to have dined on the nut as it was seen as a symbol of abundance, wealth and power. It was also used as a representation of marriage.

What is in the nut?

This nut is incredible. It is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals not just for consumption but also for topical uses. When eaten the nut offers a high amount of protein, Vitamin E, iron, phosphorous, manganese and magnesium. It also has good amounts of Vitamin K, Calcium, Zinc and Potassium.

For the skin:

It is a dry oil making it very easily and quickly absorbed. It is astringent and also has a high level of Squalene. Due to the high levels of Oleic Acid (approximately 65 – 85%), and Linoleic Acid (7 – 11%), it is able to penetrate the epidermis with essential proteins, vitamins and minerals. The tannin content can support skin circulation and while the astringent properties can assist with thread veins and oily or acne prone skin. It is an oil that has one of the highest levels of unsaturated fatty acids and therefore makes an excellent softening and moisture retaining ingredient in skin care.

Did you know?

Filbertone is the principal flavour compound in hazelnuts and it is also used in perfumery!

Sustainability

Nutella is a brand that is best known for hazelnut spread, however it is well documented that Ferrero (the company behind Nutella) has been lobbied to look into their supply chains with hazelnut production as there has been concerns over child labour.

White Cloud sources Hazelnuts grown in New Zealand. The Lavender & Kawakawa cream, Carrot & Kiwiseed serum and Rosy Aloe face cream all contain Hazelnut.

References:

https://www.aboutnuts.com/en/encyclopedia/hazelnuts/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazelnut

Power of the Seed, Parker Susan.M, 2014.

https://www.ft.com/content/ea6e02d6-32e1-11ea-a329-0bcf87a328f2