{"id":20670,"date":"2025-10-01T17:28:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T16:28:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casamira2025.casamira.es\/things-you-didnt-know-about-pine-nuts\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T17:28:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T16:28:41","slug":"things-you-didnt-know-about-pine-nuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/casamira.es\/en\/things-you-didnt-know-about-pine-nuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Things you didn’t know about pine nuts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pine nuts<\/strong> are a small delicacy of a lifetime.<\/p>\n

Years ago they were included in many of the recipes of traditional Spanish cuisine<\/strong>, but they were especially used to make desserts and sweets such as panellets<\/em> or the coatings of some pastries, cookies and cakes.<\/p>\n

In recent years we have seen, with regret, how their price <\/strong>has reached stratospheric quotas, which has damaged the domestic pine nut<\/strong> market. But, why are pine nuts so expensive, what are their health benefits, and why are they so expensive?<\/p>\n

At
\n Casa Mira<\/strong>
\n<\/a> we have already told you some very interesting curiosities such as where marzipan comes from,<\/a> which you can find in previous blogs. This time, we tell you some curiosities you didn’t know about pine nuts<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

Why are they so expensive?<\/h2>\n

\"why<\/p>\n

Although in Spain we are surrounded by pine forests everywhere, the truth is that pine nuts are not so easy to obtain.<\/p>\n

First of all, not all pine trees yield edible pine nuts<\/strong>, or at least pine nuts<\/strong> with a good flavor.<\/p>\n

Collecting them requires a lot of work, as they cannot be cultivated. All the pine nuts we find are harvested from natural environments, therefore, their collection is slow. To obtain 1 kg of pine nuts, 40 kg of pine cones are needed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although machinery exists to shell pine nuts, it is expensive, so many nut companies continue to remove them one by one by hand.<\/p>\n

Still, pine nuts have always been an expensive but affordable treat. The reason for the price increase is due to the invasion of the<\/strong> American pine nut bug<\/strong>, a small insect that devours them at incredible speeds and has reduced their production considerably. <\/p>\n

Where are the best pine nuts from?<\/h2>\n

\"Where<\/p>\n

We are fortunate that Spain is the world’s leading producer of pine nuts<\/strong> and where there are more varieties. However, its high price has encouraged the entry and sale of other varieties from China, Russia and Turkey, with a lower price. <\/p>\n

However, the quality of the national pine nut<\/strong>, as well as its intense flavor, is not comparable with other countries.<\/p>\n

Are pine nuts healthy?<\/h2>\n

\"properties<\/p>\n

Of course they do. Like other nuts, they have excellent health properties. <\/p>\n