According to historical documents, hazelnuts were produced in the northern part of Turkey, along the coast of Black Sea, 2300 years ago and have been exported from Turkey to other countries for the last 600 years. Turkey is one of the few countries with favorable weather conditions for hazelnut production and carries 75% of global production. Hazelnut orchards are located intensively in Turkey's Black Sea coast.
Due to its rich nutritional components and health-beneficial properties, hazelnut has an important position among the varieties of nuts and is a good source of energy. Hazelnut has low salt and sugar content and does not contain cholesterol. Hazelnut contains 60.5% fat on average and is rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (82.8% oleic and 8.9% linoleic). Studies have shown that the type of diet with low saturated fat and high monounsaturated fat has positive effects in controlling blood lipid levels and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). In terms of vitamin E, nuts are the second-best source after vegetable oils. Eating only 25-30 grams of hazelnuts per day meets 100% of the daily vitamin E requirement. In addition, nuts are a good source of minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. In addition to balancing blood pressure, hazelnut which is low in sodium but very generous in minerals is very important for bone development and health. Hazelnut is also a good source of natural antioxidants.