The hazel bush is a plant species of the birch family (Betulaceae) and usually grows about 5 m tall. The deciduous shrub has round to oval leaves with a short tip. The leaves are slightly hairy on the upper side and have a serrated edge. The hazel bush blooms in winter with yellow, green, or red flowers and bears brown nuts in autumn. The hazelnut is the only nut of European origin and was cultivated in the earliest times because of its oily seeds. The nut contains a seed with a thin shell and contains about 60% oil.
The hazelnuts are harvested from August to October, depending on the cultivation area, and then dried and peeled. Afterward, the kernels are crushed to give them more surface area and to make the pressing process easier. The nuts are usually roasted before pressing, especially for culinary use. The yellow to yellow-brown hazelnut oil can also be obtained by extraction with the critical CO2 or hexane. This can be kept for up to 12 months if stored in a cool place. In cool storage, the oil can last up to 12 months.
Hazelnut oil is often used as massage oil since it is absorbed well, albeit slowly, by the skin. For this reason, a protective layer of fat remains on the skin, which is particularly helpful for dry and sensitive skin. The oil has a firming and vasoconstrictive effect. This smoothing effect is due to α-tocopherol, which is effective against free radicals. The α-tocopherol content is higher in the unroasted variant, which is often preferred for cosmetic use.
Due to its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, hazelnut oil can lower high cholesterol levels and help regulate blood pressure and protect the cardiovascular system. Hazelnut oil is also recommended for the supportive treatment of respiratory problems as it has a vasoconstrictive effect. This property is also very useful for varicose veins. Hazelnut oil is also said to have a supporting effect on the activity of the stomach, intestines and liver, as well as on the functions of brain cells and nerve cells.
Hazelnut oil is available from roasted or unroasted nuts. If you want to use hazelnut oil for cosmetic purposes, you should make sure that it is a cold-pressed oil made from unroasted nuts. This way the oil doesn’t lose many vitamins due to the applied. If the oil is made from roasted nuts however, it unfolds a greater aroma. This is why the oil from roasted nuts is preferred in the kitchen.
If you want to be sure that your hazelnut oil does not contain any pesticide residues, you should also make sure that the oil is organic, since the hazelnut bushes are not sprayed with pesticides.
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