"Pine nut" may sound a bit odd because pine trees do not bear nuts. Pine nuts are actually seeds from pine trees. There are many different pine species that produce nuts large enough to harvest, but in North America, most come from pinyon pine trees. Pine nuts are a great source of dietary fiber and protein. They also provide important minerals and vitamins.
Definition
The seeds that develop in pine cones carry the culinary label of pine nuts. The seeds are covered in a tough outer hull that must be removed, and many seeds are too small to yield enough of the light yellow "nut" to eat once the hull is gone. This article uses nutrient data for a portion equal to two tablespoons of pine nuts (one ounce), so keep in mind that the nutritional value increases as the portion size becomes larger.
Basic Nutrition
Two tablespoons of pine nuts contain 176 calories, 3 grams of protein, 5 g of carbohydrates and 17 g of total fat. This represents about 6 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) for protein, 2 percent DV of carbohydrates and 26 percent DV for fat. Pine nuts are a good source of dietary fiber as this small serving provides 12 percent of the recommended daily value.
Vitamins
Pine nuts are a great source of thiamine, providing 23 percent of the recommended daily value. They also contain other B vitamins, including niacin (6 percent DV), riboflavin (4 percent DV), folate (4 percent DV), vitamin B6 (2 percent DV) and pantothenic acid (1 percent DV). Pine nuts have just a trace of vitamin C, but not enough to provide a significant amount of the daily value with this serving size.
Minerals
You'll gain essential minerals from pine nuts. They're especially high in manganese (61 percent DV), magnesium (16 percent DV) and copper (14 percent DV). Pine nuts also provide 8 percent DV of zinc, 5 percent of potassium and iron, and 1 percent DV of phosphorus and sodium.
Healthy Fats
Pine nuts are a great source of the "heart healthy" essential fatty acids. They provide .22 g of omega-3 and 6.97 g of omega-6 fatty acids.
Considerations
The FDA requires eight foods to be included in food labeling as potential allergens, and tree nuts, including pine nuts, are on the list. People with an allergy to one type of nut have a chance of also reacting to other nuts, so if you're allergic to any other nuts, talk to your physician before eating pine nuts.
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