Perhaps this old German song is right. And at the same time, the hazelnut can offer so much more than just looking pretty. Today, I'll show you why you should definitely incorporate hazelnuts into your diet, the special nutrients they provide, and why we source our 2DiE4 hazelnuts from Bavaria instead of the major growing regions in Turkey or the USA.
Hazelnuts - a true powerhouse
Like many of their nut counterparts, hazelnuts are highly calorie-dense: their fat content stands at an impressive 62%. However, since the majority of their fat consists of high-quality mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, they are still very healthy. Unsaturated fatty acids have a positive impact on blood lipid levels, diabetes, and can prevent cardiovascular diseases by strengthening our blood vessels.
Hazelnuts have a protein content of a substantial 12%, making them particularly interesting for vegans. Additionally, hazelnuts provide you with abundant minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc.
Particularly noteworthy is the high content of vitamin E in hazelnuts compared to other nuts. Vitamin E is an important protective vitamin present in every cell of our bodies. It acts as an antioxidant and protects our bodies from attacks by free radicals.
Why activated hazelnuts?
The secret behind activation is easily explained, even though the process itself is complex. At 2DiE4, we soak our hazelnuts in a finely balanced mixture of spring water and sea salt. This initiates the germination process within the hazelnut, as if it were starting to grow. During germination, various defense substances in the nut are broken down, which previously served as protection but also hindered the digestion of raw nuts in the human body. Activation makes hazelnuts much more digestible. Moreover, activation releases many minerals that the nut would need for growth, and now they benefit you and your body.
After soaking, we dry our 2DiE4 hazelnuts at low temperatures over an extended period to preserve the valuable components such as fatty acids and vitamins. This is the significant difference compared to roasting. Although roasted hazelnuts taste very intense and delicious, unfortunately, not much remains of the great unsaturated fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins.
As you can see, there are compelling reasons why you should enjoy your hazelnuts in their activated form rather than raw or roasted!
Where do hazelnuts come from?
I hinted at it earlier: Turkey, Spain, Chile, and the USA are the main hazelnut-growing regions. There, the shrubs are cultivated in vast monocultures. Cultivating a single species on large areas brings well-known problems such as plant diseases and soil depletion. Synthetic fertilisers and pesticides are therefore used, which in turn harm the entire region. In many parts of Turkey, hazelnut harvesting is purely manual labor, which exploits cheap labourers from poorer areas and even children.
That's why we at 2DiE4 source our wonderful hazelnuts directly from the region: they grow in the Dachau region near Munich, practically on our doorstep. They are cultivated there by a family business with great dedication and love over generations on small fields following organic standards.
Regionality, organic cultivation, gentle peeling, and activation combined turn our 2DiE4 hazelnuts into true Treasures.
And you can taste it!
Try our 2DiE4 hazelnuts, and you will realise when enjoying them that they have nothing in common with conventional hazelnuts as you knew them before. Simply amazingly delicious, wonderfully crunchy, and so digestible. Let yourself be tempted!
| Discover Now - Activated Organic Hazelnuts! |