Recharge With Pine Nuts

Approximately twenty species of trees have seeds big enough to harvest.

Other species have seeds that can be eaten, but the seeds are little and aren't of any value nutritionally.

They can be pressed to extract oil, which is prized for its nutty and mild flavor. It's valued for its health benefits such as antioxidant action and appetite suppression.

A specialty coffee is made from them and found in the Southwest United States, especially New Mexico. It's called Pinon, and it is a dark roast coffee with a deep, nutty flavor.

Pine nuts are an excellent resource for dietary fiber, as well as a vital module of pesto. They're often included in fish, vegetable and meat dishes.

Pine nuts are nature's only source of pinoleic acid, which stimulates hormones and helps diminish your appetite.

Pine nuts have the highest concentration of oleic acid. That's a monounsaturated fat that aids the liver in eliminating harmful triglycerides from our body. That helps protect our heart.

Pine nuts are packed with 3mg of iron per one ounce serving. Iron is a key component of hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying pigment in blood that supplies energy.

They are rich in magnesium which helps alleviate muscle cramps, tension and fatigue.