Chilgoza image used in the post of pine nuts benefits and but pine nuts online in India

“Various chilgoza benefits - its complete nutrition value, uses and why it is considered one of the healthiest superfoods to add in your diet”

In this age where people are taking extra measures to develop a body mechanism that can tackle any bacteria or viruses caused by various microorganisms that can be contact in with daily life. The key to a healthy body depends on a healthy diet where one can eat different edibles that can fulfill all the necessities of the body regarding its essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins needs.

The most natural way to achieve that is by eating “superfood” - a family of edibles consisting of nuts, dry fruits, and seeds that are enriched with essential nutrients that help boost the body’s immunity and help it fend off disease-carrying microorganisms. Among these superfoods, consist of Chilgoza (Pine Nuts), popularly known as “Chilgoza” in the Indian subcontinent boasts a nutrient profile that makes it a must addition to your diet.

Let us discuss the various Chilgoza (Pine Nut) benefits in detail:

What are Chilgoza (pine nuts) and where do they come from?

Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees that grow in their native forest located in regions of China, Mexico, Russia, North Korea, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. These pine trees take years to grow and harvest with time around 25 years and the manual labor to extract its seeds is quite intensive making pine nuts one of the most expensive superfoods in the market.

Pine nuts are available in a shell that needs to be peeled before eating. Although, these shells are quite thin and can be eaten with it. Pine nuts are available in roasted and toasted forms like other dry fruits that bring out their delicious crunchy taste.

Chilgoza is also called as "Neja" dry fruits in singular and "Neje" in plural. Its scientific name is "Pinus gerardiana." It is also known as "pignoli nuts".

Nutritional value of Chilgoza

What are the various benefits of Chilgoza?

By adding Chilgoza pine nuts to your regular daily diet you can avail a lot of health benefits. You can eat them roasted as a part of daily snacks, a great substitute for junk food or you can add them as sprinklers to various healthy dishes.

Let us elucidate the various health-boosting factors of eating Chilgoza every day:

1. Chilgoza helps keep your heart healthy and safe

Chilgoza is super-rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fats along with loaded with unsaturated fats. These unsaturated fats help you raise the good cholesterol in your body. Chilgoza also consists of Pinolenic acid, a form of unsaturated fat that helps in lowering the bad cholesterol in your body.

Antioxidants and Omega-3 acids help prevent the risk of heart diseases like stroke and blood clotting in your body.

2. Chilgoza helps keep manage diabetes and keep your blood sugar levels in check

The well-balanced richness of magnesium, zinc, fat, fiber and protein helps in better breakdown of glucose and helps keep your blood levels in check. Pinolenic acid along with manganese is also vital in reducing ROS in the body which is the key to activating stress pathways thus resulting in diabetes.

One ounce of Chilgoza is more than enough to keep up with the daily recommended intake of manganese which is essential in lowering the risk of diabetes.

3. Chilgoza helps in weight loss and control

The key to using Chilgoza in your diet in weight management or weight loss is to eat them in moderation and effectively. Although Chilgoza is quite high in calories and fats, they don’t necessarily contribute to weight gain but rather make you feel satisfied with your intake and reduce cravings.

The well-balanced richness of protein, high fiber, and healthy fats helps you feel full for a long period of time, reducing your cravings and your need for overall calorie intake. Replacing Chilgoza with unhealthy snacks is a great way to avoid trans fats and replace them with a nutritious snacking option.

4. Chilgoza boosts better neural system function and brain health

The omega-3 fatty acids are the essential kind of fats that your body needs daily, these acids are the key to the prevention of dementia and better brain functioning. Omega-3 acids also help boost better blood flow to the brain and improve overall thinking.

The antioxidants also help in reducing inflammation in the brain, and cellular depression symptoms and raise your serotonin levels.

5. Chilgoza promotes skin health

The main reason for a skin tone with uneven texture along with acne and dark spots is the high level of sugar in your body along with slow breakage of glucose. By adding low-sugar and low carbohydrates Chilgoza to your diet, it helps balance the sugar levels in your body and helps repair your dead skin cells thus providing you with clear skin.

The high fiber in pine nuts also helps in the faster breakdown of glucose in your body and much smoother bowel movements in your body.

6. Chilgoza helps strengthen the bones and ease joint pain

Chilgoza is rich in calcium which is proven to strengthen bones. Not only that what a lot of people don’t know is that Vitamin K is also highly beneficial in bone strength but the main cause of Vitamin K deficiency is high cholesterol levels. By eating Chilgoza every day, you kill 2 birds with 1 stone as these nuts are highly beneficial in lowing cholesterol levels and boosting bone strength while relieving joint pains.

7. Chilgoza can help in hair growth and care

Another cosmetic benefit of eating Chilgoza is that due to its richness in Vitamin E, considered an essential nutrient for hair growth, it helps keep your hair strong and avoid hair fall. It keeps your scalp in good condition and avoids producing thin hair. The high amount of protein also helps keep hair strong and protects against hair damage. Most people also use pine nuts as oil to avail the direct benefits of its hair care nutrition.

8. Chilgoza reduces inflammation and signs of aging

The antioxidant properties in pine nuts are highly beneficial in reducing inflammation in your body that have a direct effect on slowing down the signs of aging. Eating Chilgoza every day leads to a better and healthier quality of life that makes you feel energetic for a long time. Doctors highly recommend seniors make pine nuts a part of their regular diet.

9. Chilgoza makes your immune system strong

Chilgoza has the following antioxidants - 

• Gallocatechin
• Catechin
• Lutein
• Lycopene
• Carotenoids, and
• Tocopherols

All these antioxidants make your immune system strong by protecting your cells from free radicals.

10. Chilgoz is a good source of energy

Adults and children that face low energy problems due to deficiency of magnesium can benefit from chilgoza. It has plenty of magnesium which helps in distributing oxygen to all the cells. As the oxygen intake increases, more calories are burnt which releases more energy.

11. Chilgoza Benefits for Males and Females

Chilgoza, or pine nuts, are small and delicious nuts. They are a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidants. Pine nuts also contain essential vitamins B1, B2, and C, as well as minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and a moderate amount of calcium, zinc, and manganese. Pine nuts raise testosterone levels. They contain a lot of zinc, which has been found to increase testosterone levels in the body and support male sexual competence.

Adding nutrient-rich chilgoza to your diet helps in lowering cholesterol, lowers the risk of heart-related diseases, and also plays an important role in weight loss. At the same time, the consumption of chilgoza can help in fighting against viruses.

Chilgoza Benefits for Male

Males should include pine nuts or chilgoza into their diet. Chilgoza has a sufficient amount of zinc, which raises sperm counts and makes them more mobile for conception. The immune system is boosted by zinc, which also promotes quicker wound recovery and lowers the risk of getting the common cold frequently.

Chilgoza Benefits for Female

Vitamin E is abundant in the Chilgoza pine nut, which has 9.33 milligrams per 100 grams. Alpha-tocopherol, another name for vitamin E, helps maintain skin hydration.

Chilgoza pine nuts contain 24 percent protein, which keeps muscles from tiring. Regular consumption of this nut can help to prevent aches and pains in the muscles.

A protein called lysine is in charge of controlling hypertension. You can prevent hypertension by frequently eating Chilgoza pine nuts because lysine is abundantly found in pine nuts.

Are there any risks to eating Chilgoza?

Not particularly a risk, but the most common drawback of eating pine nuts could be the case of “Pine nut syndrome”, a case where eating pine nuts in excess could develop a bitter or metallic taste in a person’s mouth that could last up to 2 weeks.

Another drawback of eating Chilgoza is similar common to its fellow nuts family, that is some people might develop some allergic reaction to these nuts. These allergic reactions could result in stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, and gastrointestinal diseases.

It is recommended that you eat pine nuts in moderation and not in excess.

Conclusion

While everyone has their favorite dry fruits locked in their daily diet, the exotic nature of pine nuts, their delicious taste, and their health benefits is something one must try on regular occasions. Not only that but pine nuts are one of the very few dry superfoods that can be used as a garnishing agent to your daily meals to make them more tasty and nutritious.

The overall health benefits of eating pine nuts every day boost your body's immunity in a major way while giving you energy and strength to fight various viruses, especially in the current COVID pandemic.