Crunchy, delicious pine nuts are small edible seeds of pine tree. Pine kernels are indeed very good source of plant derived nutrients, essential minerals, vitamins and "heart friendly" mono-unsaturated fatty acids that help benefit in reducing cholesterol levels in the blood.
Botanically, pine trees belong to the family of Pinaceae, genus Pinus Rosaceae, of Genus: Pinus. Some other common names are pinon nuts, pignoli, cedar nuts, chilgoza, pinyon pinenuts...etc.
Pine trees grow in the wild cold and taiga forest regions of northern hemisphere particularly of Siberia and Canada. They are straight erect trees with large stem and reach up to 75 feet in height with pyramidal or umbrella like dense foliage spread.

The flowers of pine tree subsequently develop into cone. The female cones take 2–3 years to mature after pollination. At maturity, the female cones are 3–35 cm long. Each cone has numerous spirally arranged scales, with two seeds on each mature scale. The scales at the base and tip of the cone are small and sterile, without seeds. At maturity, the cones usually open up to release the seeds.

Two prominent species known for their large edible kernels include Pinus sibirica and Pinus koraiensis. Pine nuts feature tough dark brown colour coat or shell. Stone pines have long slender kernel in comparison to oriental pines, which are broad, large and have higher fat content. Inside, the kernel has cream white colour and delicate buttery flavour and sweet taste.
Chilgoza pine nuts (Pinus gerardiana) are another distinct pine varieties found in western Himalayan forests of Pakistan, India (Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh), and Afghanistan. Chilgoza pines have similar appearance as stone pines; featuring long slender, pointed seeds.

Health benefits

Pine nuts are rich in calories, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals and packed with numerous health promoting phyto-chemicals.

The high caloric content of pines comes from their fats. However, the nuts are especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid (18:1 undifferentiated fat) that helps to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood.  Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favouring healthy blood lipid profile.

Pine or cedar nuts contain essential fatty acid (ω-6 fat) pinolenic acid. Recent research has shown its potential use in weight loss by curbing the appetite. Pinolenic acid causes the triggering of hunger suppressant enzymes cholecystokinin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in the gut. In addition, pinolenic acid may have LDL-lowering properties by enhancing hepatic LDL uptake.

Like almonds, pines are an excellent source of vitamin E; contain about 9.33 mg per 100 g (about 62% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals.

Furthermore, like almonds and peanuts, pines are free from gluten and therefore are a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten free food formulas. Such formula preparations are in fact healthy alternatives in people with wheat food allergy and celiac disease.

Pinenuts are excellent source of B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and folates. These vitamins functions as co-factors for enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism.

Furthermore, pine nuts contain healthy amounts of essential minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. At 8.802 mg per 100 g (about 383% of daily recommended intake), pines are one of the richest sources of manganese. Manganese is an all-important co-factor for antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. It is therefore consumption of pines helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals.

Pine nut oil has delicate flavour with sweet aroma and is used in many traditional medicinal applications since ancient times. The main chemical components in pine oil are borneol, bornyl acetate, α and β-phallandrene, α-pinene and β-pinene. Its emollient property helps to keep skin well protected from dryness. It has also been used in cooking, and as “carrier or base oil” in traditional medicines in aromatherapy, in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.

Health benefits of Pine Nuts: Pine nuts include the greatest quantity of proteins, present in any nut. Pine nuts are definitely the only source of pinoleic acid that can help in stimulating the hormones which behave as appetite suppressants. A number of pine nuts have sufficient pinoleic acid that may encourage the intestines to create hormones known as CCK. This particular CCK signals the brain to turn off the hungry mode. Therefore, reducing the stomach’s rate of digestion and providing you a feeling of full stomach. This really is ideal for those people who are watching their weight or are dieting.

Listed are a few well-known health advantages of Consuming Pine Nuts: Help Suppress Appetite: Dieters might rejoice in knowing a number of pine nuts, or 30 grams, might help in weight loss. The pinolenic acid content can encourage the intestines to create hormones known as CCK that signal the brain to turn off “hungry mode,” in accordance with Shippensburg University. This decelerates the stomach’s rate of digestion leaving the dieter feeling full. In the paper presented in the 2006 American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, Dr. J.L. demonstrated how women given three grams of the pinolenic acid instantly before they started to eat breakfast, slowed up the absorption of food within their gut. The supplementation of the acid controlled the appetite in overweight women and resulted in a decrease in food consumption by 37 percent.

Cardiovascular support: Pine nuts are loaded with monosaturated fat, that is recognized to reduce the cholesterol level within our blood stream, which often reduces our risk of heart attack and stroke. Additionally they consist of higher amounts of vitamin E, vitamin K, copper, iron and manganese, all of which are recognized to bring about cardiovascular health.

Weight Loss: Even though they are full of fat, consuming pine nuts regularly can easily enhance your weight loss efforts. It is because they include pinoleic acid that studies have discovered to be a highly effective appetite suppressant. Pinolenic acid leads to the triggering of hunger suppressant hormones within the gut – just don’t rely on this theory when presented with that perfect pesto pasta.

Boost Your Energy: To fight feelings of tiredness and fatigue, pine nuts offer an energy boost that can help repair and build tissues within the body. The protein within these seeds assists burn fuel gradually, which supplies you with long-lasting energy that doesn’t lead you to burnout. Pine nuts’ iron content helps the body transport and store energy, whilst helping the cells create usable energy, in accordance with NutsforLife.

Help Reduce Heart Disease Risk: Nuts provide protective effect from heart disease. The intake of a number of nuts, which includes pine nuts, might prevent cardiovascular disease. They’re nutrient-dense with healthy fats, dietary fibre, plant sterols, arginine, and antioxidant minerals and vitamins which are heart healthy. In the research published in Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers found dietary nut intake was connected with a considerably decreased chance of unexpected cardiac death in men who consumed nuts 2 or more times each week. However, nut intake did not considerably prevent no sudden coronary heart disease death or even nonfatal.

Slow Down Aging: If you wish to look and feel younger compared to your age, pine nuts might help decrease the process of aging. Usually, free radicals are made possibly once the body breaks down food or even when you’re subjected to environmental hazards, like tobacco smoke or even radiation. The high anti-oxidant content of these seeds safeguards cells from damage because of free-radicals, says Seedsguide.info. The copper content contained in pine nuts may also avoid aging.

Help Prevent Eye Diseases: In case you can’t see in addition to you want to, pine nuts might help enhance your vision as well as eye health. These types of seeds include lutein, a carotenoid vitamin that will help the eyes filter UV light, avoiding it from damaging the macula – the region of the retina liable for central vision, nutrition expert Joy Bauer explains on her website. Lutein may also prevent macular degeneration as well as cataracts.