NutritionDoc

For those who follow my blog you already know that "it is okay to go nuts". I have been getting email questions on pine nuts so here is some info.

Ancient Romans preserved pine nuts in honey, pressed them into wine and used them in sausage. Nicknamed pinoccoli or pinocchi in Italy, this popular nut was the inspiration for Pinocchio's name, because his nose is shaped like a pine nut.

Pine nuts and Indian nuts are creamy white in color, soft, sweet and chewy. The tiny, torpedo shaped kernels are harvested from the cones of about 20 varieties of pine trees.

A serving of pine nuts is a good source of copper, magnesium and zinc. Pine nuts are surpassed only by almonds and hazelnuts in vitamin E content of nuts and supply nearly 20% of the daily value for vitamin K, important for blood clotting and bone health.

As with all nuts, the fat is mostly good-for-you mono- and polyunsaturated. Pine nuts also contain phytosterols - plant compounds that block cholesterol's absorption at twice the level found in walnuts.

Toasting pine nuts brings out their rich flavor. To toast, spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 5 - 10 minutes until golden brown. Pine nuts are ideal for stuffings, salads and baked goods. Add them to ground meat for meatballs.

Pine nuts are more expensive than most nuts, because those tiny nuts are more labor intensive to harvest. One pound costs $8 - $14. Lucky for us, a little goes a long way.