CONGER - Gentile Romana Hazelnut Cooperative Home Who we are Products Point of sale News Contacts Products The hazelnut The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazelnut, a plant cultivated by man since ancient times. After almonds, they are the richest fruit in vitamin E and are a source of phytosterols, a substance considered important for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Hazelnuts also contain monounsaturated fats capable of lowering the level of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The finest Italian hazelnuts are: Tonda gentile from the Piedmontese Langhe Tonda by Giffoni Tonda gentile romana Mortarella Late round Thanks to the climatic conditions, this plant thrives in the Mediterranean Basin. The main producers are: Turkey, Italy, USA and Spain (in particular in Italy for quantity Campania, Lazio, Piedmont and Sicily). The hazelnut is commonly counted among the dried fruit, it is greenish in color (initially) and then brownish, as the degree of ripeness continues. The pericarp is partly covered by a leafy envelope with an irregular margin. The seed, placed inside, is edible and has a crunchy consistency. It is consumed both fresh and dry. It is very rich in lipids (about 50-60% of fats), proteins (20%) and water (11%). This composition makes hazelnut a very caloric food. The Tonda Gentile Romana Hazelnut The gentle Roman PDO hazelnut , often Roman hazelnut, is a variety of hazelnut with a Protected Designation of Origin. The production of Dop "Nocciola romana" involves some municipalities of Viterbo and Rome, where since 1412 this crop has been the subject of patient and tenacious work by farmers, who over the centuries have played an important role in creating a product with high quality characteristics. Currently about 4500 companies produce between 400 and 450 thousand quintals of hazelnuts per year, with a turnover of 42 million euros. Compact and crunchy texture, without internal voids, with a very fine and persistent flavor and aroma: these are some of the peculiarities of the PDO, to which numerous village festivals and many typical recipes are linked, demonstrating the importance that this crop plays in the local economy: in fact, one of the main Italian production and marketing poles of hazelnuts is concentrated in the PDO area. Properties of hazelnut Le nocciole come tutta la frutta secca sono un alimento molto ricco di “grassi buoni”, tra cui gli OMEGA-6, ma l’eccezione è la presenza di OMEGA-3 (di solito presenti nel pesce e alghe marine), grassi particolari che aiutano a prevenire l’insorgenza di malattie cardio-vascolari ed aiutano ad abbassare l’eccesso di colesterolo nel sangue. Digeribili più di ogni altro frutto oleoso, è una delle varietà di frutta secca più ricca di vitamina E, l’antiossidante per eccellenza. Sono inoltre un’ottima fonte di Selenio (un minerale che previene l’invecchiamento cellulare) di Flavonoidi (principali Polifenoli, capaci di svolgere una grande azione antinfiammatoria, antivirale e che aiuta a prevenire l’insorgenza dei tumori), diFitosteroli, sostanze ritenute importanti per la prevenzione delle malattie cardiovascolari; a questo proposito un recente studio scientifico ha dimostrato che un uso regolare di nocciole è in grado di abbassare i livelli di colesterolo LDL (colesterolo “cattivo”) e di Trigliceridi. L’olio di nocciole è particolarmente ricco di acidi grassi necessari per l’equilibrio lipidico dell’alimentazione quotidiana, inoltre contiene calcio, Vitamins B6, B1, B2 and PP. Promotes cell regeneration and stimulates circulation. It is nourishing, remineralizing, energetic and can be of help in the recovery periods. © 2009 CO.N.GE.R. Gentile Romana Hazelnut Cooperative. All rights reserved. Code validation: valid XHTML , valid CSS stylesheet