In recent years, they have arguably become one of the most important components of the breakfast palette. They are delicious, healthy, and easy to process. We are talking about nuts. There are several different types of nuts – so you will never get bored, as you have a wide selection on the nut palette.
Nuts are becoming increasingly popular, especially with a healthy breakfast . Due to the many benefits that the consumption of nuts brings, more and more nuts are being bought. Which nuts are available in Austria and Germany? What types of nuts are there? And which varieties are healthy? What do they contain? We'll get to the bottom of all these questions in today's blog post.
Which nuts are available in Austria and Germany?
This question, which nuts are available in Germany and Austria, is not so easy to answer. Nuts are rather scarce in this country. This is due to many circumstances: on the one hand, the domestic production of nuts is not so large that it could supply the whole of Austria or Germany with nuts. On the other hand, the climatic conditions in the two countries are not particularly good for many varieties of nuts. In Austria, however, one variety of nuts is in the running: the walnut. It is one of the healthiest nuts ever. Walnuts are particularly good for your brain. Although the production of nuts has increased in recent years, it is unfortunately not sufficient for "self-sufficiency".
In Austria, 4663 tons of triggered walnuts are currently produced per year. However, up to 45,906 tonnes are imported – the per capita consumption in Austria is 4.3 kg per year. You can clearly see how much we are missing here. Although these figures increase from year to year, there is still a long way to go before imports can be dispensed with here.
Walnuts are thus produced natively in Austria and Germany. We have to import the rest of the nuts almost completely. It is not entirely true that there are only walnuts in our latitudes – however, the walnut is the only variety that is produced in significant quantities. There are often local products for almonds or hazelnuts – but these are usually not commercially available. You then have to go directly to the farm to be able to buy nuts. Hazelnuts are our insider tip! They are usually so good that they are reserved months in advance.
In addition, you can continue to use the shell of walnuts. The shell of walnuts has a high oil content. Therefore, these shells are often used for the production of cosmetics. The oil content of the shells is also well suited as fertilizer for indoor plants or your own garden. But you can also use the shell of the walnut when cooking. Their earthy and nutty notes are perfect for adding the finishing touches to a sauce or broth. So when you crack nuts, do not throw the shells away, but think about what you can do with the shell.
What types of nuts are there?
The question of the different types of nuts has to be answered extensively. There are many different types of nuts, all of which have their own flavors and benefits. Here is a small list of the nuts:
- Cashews (Superfood Alert!)
- Peanuts
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Almonds
- Chestnuts
- Brazil nuts
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
We have already explained the latter nuts in more detail for you. The other varieties of nuts, except for the chestnuts, are all imported products. The chestnuts are very popular in our latitudes – they are best enjoyed in autumn. For the other types of nuts, you should definitely pay attention to which ones you buy. For example, the countries of origin of the nuts often vary here. Hazelnuts often come from Turkey – but also from Italy or Spain. In the case of almonds, you have to adjust to a few more kilometers: these digestible friends are usually from California or China. A hot tip is always to pay attention to the country of origin of the nuts and to buy organic if possible. Although the nuts are more expensive, you can also be sure that the quality of the nuts is right. When composing our muesli , granola and porridge mixtures, we also pay attention to the best quality of the ingredients – including the nuts.
Which nuts should you eat?
This question is probably a subjective one. Which nuts do you like best? Basically, the question of taste is of course very important. However, it is also important to pay attention to how much you are burdening the environment with your purchase. If nuts have to travel many kilometers to land on our tables, this can have a major impact on the climate. You should definitely pay attention to the organic seal of the nuts. In general, the rule for us would be: Better to buy fewer nuts – but if you buy nuts, then sustainable.
Which nuts are healthy?
This question is also very easy to answer. The majority of nuts are very healthy . For a long time, nuts were considered a fat calorie bomb – but this misconception has long been refuted. It is true that nuts have a high fat and calorie content. However, this does not mean that nuts must necessarily be unhealthy. The human body cannot process all the calories it obtains from nuts. We cannot grind nuts completely, so the nuts enter our body in small pieces. The fat of the nuts is therefore not completely absorbed and therefore does not count so much towards our calorie account.
But nuts are not only rich in healthy fats. They contain many nutrients – even considered a nutrient bomb! That's why you don't have to eat a lot of nuts to get full. Walnuts, for example, provide the best amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Magnesium and folic acid are also abundant in nuts. You can also fight high cholesterol with nuts – or against the risk of diabetes. Nuts are also very valuable for the brain.
How can I best incorporate nuts into my diet?
So nuts are very healthy in many ways. The question of how to properly embed the nuts in the diet is easy for us to answer. Whether as a snack between meals or as a topping on porridge or yoghurt – there are countless ways to integrate nuts into your diet. A porridge with almond splinters or a cereal with hazelnuts and oatmeal will help you get your day off to a healthy start. And if you're a bit more experimental in the kitchen, you can try these delicious nut energy balls:
Nut Energy Balls
Accessories
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Food processor
Ingredients
- 6 dates
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp oatmeal
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1.5 tbsp peanut butter or other nut butter
Toppings (at will)
- grated nuts
- coconut flakes
- poppy seeds
Preparation
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If you have dates that have not been de-stoned, de-stone the dates first and then put the dates in your food processor.
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Next, add the remaining ingredients and mix everything together well until a sticky mass is formed.
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Then form small balls from the mass.
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If you like, you can also roll the balls in grated nuts, grated coconut, or poppy seeds.
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You can enjoy the balls right away or store them in the fridge.
