Everything about Pine Nut totally explained
Pine nuts are the edible
seeds of
pines (family
Pinaceae, genus
Pinus). About 20 species of pine produce seeds large enough to be worth harvesting; in other pines the seeds are also edible, but are too small to be of value as a human food.
Species and geographic spread
In
Europe, pine nuts come from the
Stone Pine (
Pinus pinea), which has been cultivated for its nuts for over 6,000 years, and harvested from wild trees for far longer. The
Swiss Pine (
Pinus cembra) is also used to a very small extent.
In
Asia, two species are widely harvested,
Korean Pine (
Pinus koraiensis) in northeast Asia (the most important species in international trade), and
Chilgoza Pine (
Pinus gerardiana) in the western
Himalaya. Four other species,
Siberian Pine (
Pinus sibirica),
Siberian Dwarf Pine (
Pinus pumila),
Chinese White Pine (
Pinus armandii) and
Lacebark Pine (
Pinus bungeana), are also used to a lesser extent.
In
North America, the main species are three of the
pinyon pines,
Colorado Pinyon (
Pinus edulis),
Single-leaf Pinyon (
Pinus monophylla), and
Mexican Pinyon (
Pinus cembroides). The other eight pinyon species are used to a small extent, as are
Gray Pine (
Pinus sabineana),
Torrey Pine (
Pinus torreyana) and
Sugar Pine (
Pinus lambertiana). In the
United States, pine nuts are mainly harvested by
Native American tribes; in many areas, they've exclusive rights to the harvest.
Ecology and status
In the United States, millions of hectares of productive pinyon pine woods have been destroyed due to conversion to
grazing lands, and in China, destructive harvesting techniques (such as breaking off whole branches to harvest the cones) and the removal of trees for
timber have led to losses in production capacity. and are an essential component of Italian
pesto sauce. The
pignoli cookie, an Italian specialty confection, is made of
almond flour formed into a dough similar to that of a
macaroon and then topped with pine nuts. Pine nuts are also featured in the
salade landaise of
southwestern France. Pine nut coffee, known as
piñón (
Spanish for pine nut), is a speciality found in the southwest United States, especially
New Mexico, and is typically a dark roast coffee having a deep, nutty flavour; roasted and lightly salted pine nuts can often be found sold on the side of the road in cities across New Mexico to be used for this purpose. Pine nuts are also used in
chocolates and desserts such as
baklava. It is also a widely used ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine, reflected in a diverse range of dishes such as
kibbeh, sambusek,
ladies' fingers and many others.
Throughout Europe and Middle East the pine nuts used are from
Pinus pinea (Stone Pine). They are easily distinguished from the Asian pine nuts by their more slender shape and more homogeneous flesh. Due to the lower price, Asian pine nuts are also often used, especially in cheaper preparations.Pine nuts contain thiamine, vitamin B1 and protein. Many dieters eat pine nuts because of their proven ability to suppress hunger.
Risks of eating pine nuts
The eating of pine nuts can cause serious taste disturbances, lasting for days or weeks. The taste disturbance develops one or two days after consumption. A bitter, metallic taste is described. The pine nuts involved are always imported from China, but only a minority of Chinese pine nuts present this problem. Until now it isn't clear which pine species is implicated. Concerning the cause, it has been observed that the pine nuts involved typically contain
triglycerides, formed by 16-18° unsaturated fatty acids. Analysis on pesticide residus and heavy metal didn't reveal any contamination.. Though very unpleasant, there doesn't seem to be a real health concern. The problem can be avoided by not consuming Chinese pine nuts. They can be recognised because they're shorter. The biological species of pine nut is normally not described on the package, however, the pictures of an European and Asian type of pine nuts are given to illustrate the general differences in form that can make the distinction.
Pine nut oil
Pine nuts can be pressed to extract pine nut oil, which is valued both for its mild, nutty flavour and its health benefits such as appetite suppression and
antioxidant action.
Other similar seeds
The large edible seeds of species of the
Southern Hemisphere conifer genus
Araucaria, notably
Araucaria araucana (Pehuén) of
Chile,
Araucaria bidwillii (Bunya) of
Australia and
Araucaria angustifolia (Parana pine) of
Brazil, are also often called, although improperly,
pine nuts.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Pine Nut'.
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