In many countries, chestnuts are considered a real delicacy. But did you know that these tasty nuts can actually be useful? From improving digestion to strengthening bones – there are many reasons to try roasted chestnuts.
The chestnut is the nut or the fruit?
The chestnuts are a group of about eight or nine trees and shrubs, belonging to the same family of oak and beech trees. I wonder what is considered to be the chestnut and walnut, and fruit. The reason is simple: technically, the fruit is a derivative of the flowering plant, and most nuts fall under this category.
Chestnuts have a sweet taste, and can easily be an ingredient in various dishes. Raw chestnuts are very firm, crisp texture that becomes softer after cooking or roasting.
Nutritional value of chestnuts
Ten (about 84 grams) of roasted chestnuts contain approximately:
- 206 calories
- 44.5 grams of carbohydrates
- 2.7 g of protein
- 1.8 g of fat
- 4.3 g fiber
- 1 mg manganese (50% DV)
- 21,8 mg of vitamin C (36% of days)
- 0.4 mg of vitamin B6 (21% of days)
- 0.4 mg of copper (21% of days)
- 58,8 mcg of folate (15% DP)
- 0.2 mg thiamin (14% days)
- 497 mg of potassium (14% days)
- 0.1 mg of Riboflavin (9 percent of days)
- 89,9 mg phosphorus (9 percent of days)
- 6.6 micrograms of vitamin K (8% of days)
- 27,7 mg of magnesium (7% days)
- 1.1 mg of Niacin (6% of days)
- 0.5 mg of Pantothenic acid (5% days)
- 0.8 mg iron (4% days)
- 0.5 mg zinc (3% days)
Health benefits
Improve digestion
The study, published in the journal Food Microbiology, have shown that the chestnut extract has a protective effect on the strain of probiotics found in your digestive tract. Probiotics is a type of beneficial bacteria that maintain intestinal health and help improve digestion.
In addition, chestnuts have a high fiber content. Dietary fiber eases constipation, nourishes, stabilizes blood sugar and feeds beneficial intestinal bacteria.
Contain antioxidants
In addition to vitamins and minerals, chestnuts can also boast a high content of antioxidants.
A 2010 study conducted by the Department of biotechnology at the University of Chosun in Korea, showed that extract of chestnut flower has powerful antioxidant properties and even helps to protect against melanoma or skin cancer.
Antioxidants are substances that help neutralize harmful free radicals that can accumulate and damage cells, causing chronic disease.
Protect the heart
Interestingly, some types of chestnuts do have a protective effect on the heart. The reason is that chestnuts contain antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and improve heart health.
Chestnuts also contain potassium, an important mineral that can reduce some risk factors associated with heart disease. One review showed that increasing potassium intake effectively reduces blood pressure and risk of stroke by 24 percent.
Normalize bowel
Fiber increases the bulk of stool, easing its passage and excretion. One of the tests, published in the world journal of gastroenterology in 2012, reviewed five studies measuring the influence of food fibers. The researchers found that increased consumption of fiber is associated with increased frequency of bowel movements.
Improve bone health
Only 10 chestnut can provide 50 percent of the daily recommended amount of manganese. Manganese – an important mineral necessary for normal cell function. In some studies it was found that manganese may play a Central role in bone health, as well as to provide protection from certain diseases.
Approximately 43 percent of the manganese is stored in the bones. The use of manganese in combination with other minerals to strengthen bone tissue is capable of preventing loss of bone mass, particularly in older women. In the study in 2004 it was discovered that the capsule containing manganese, along with vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, zinc and boron increased bone density from 334 women with weak bones.
Improve brain function
Chestnuts are rich in several B vitamins, including thiamine, vitamin B6, Riboflavin and folic acid. These vitamins are essential for maintaining the health of your brain and protect it from disease.
The lack of any of the b vitamins can cause impairment in cognitive function of the brain. Thiamine deficiency, for example, can lead to delirium, while the folate deficiency can disrupt brain development in children.
In a study conducted in 2016, the elderly participants were given supplements with folic acid for one year that led to improvement in cognitive performance, as well as lower levels of certain inflammation markers. Another study in Nutrition Journal showed that increased intake of vitamin B had a positive effect on cognitive function in elderly participants with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
Than chestnuts differ from other nuts?
There are many varieties of walnut, each with its own unique set of nutrients and health benefits.
Chestnuts is starch is a kind of nut, what distinguishes them from other species that have higher oil content and fat. Walnuts, for example, is especially rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Like the chestnut, they also contain manganese and copper, but with smaller amounts of potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6. Meanwhile, almonds are rich in vitamin E and protein and also contains good amounts of manganese, magnesium and Riboflavin.
Precautions and risks
Allergy to chestnuts is not as common as other types of nuts, e.g. peanuts, but can cause serious symptoms. If you are allergic to other nuts, it is better to give up the chestnuts.
Allergies to chestnuts can cause symptoms such as itching, swelling, wheezing and redness. If you have any of these symptoms after consuming chestnuts, seek medical help.
In addition, despite the fact that chestnuts are a great source of many important nutrients, they also have a high carbohydrate content. In fact, only 10 pieces make up nearly 45 grams of carbohydrates. If you have diabetes or high blood sugar levels, you should be especially careful to include chestnuts in your diet.
The advantage is that chestnuts are considered complex carbohydrates, meaning they are digested more slowly than other types of carbohydrates, so can totally fit into a healthy diet. However, it is best to stick to moderate consumption and to combine them with foods low in carbohydrates to prevent the increase of sugar level in the blood.
Finally, we offer you several options for cooking this exotic product. Amaze your guests!
Roasted chestnuts
Ingredients
- Chestnuts 680 g
Method of preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.
- A sharp knife, make cross-cuts on the round side of the chestnuts and place on a baking sheet, cut side up. Put in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the peel is not screwed with the pulp.
- Wrap hot chestnuts in a kitchen towel and press it gently to behind skin. Leave it wrapped for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
Chestnut soup
Ingredients
- Chestnuts 500 g
- Butter 30 g
- Beef broth 1 l
- Turnip-1 piece
- Carrots 3 pieces
- Onion 1 clove
- Sugar pinch
- White bread-1 piece
- Salt to taste
Method of preparation
- The chestnuts, remove the shell, throw for five minutes in boiling salted water.
- Lightly boiled chestnuts are put in a pot with broth and cook on slow fire.
- Ten minutes until fully cooked chestnuts and fry in butter chopped carrots, turnips and onions.
- Ready chestnuts mash, add salt, sprinkle with sugar again and add to the pot. There put steamed vegetables.
- Serve with fried butter bread.
Cupcake, green tea with chestnuts
Ingredients
- Wheat flour 115 g
- Baking powder teaspoon
- Green tea 15g
- Sugar 75 g
- Chicken egg 2 pieces
- Canned candied chestnuts 75 g
- Butter 65 g
Method of preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a water bath. Sift flour with green tea powder and baking powder. Add the chopped candied chestnuts, melted butter and mix.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin lined with parchment and greased with butter and smooth the surface. Bake in bottom of oven 35-40 minutes.
- Place cupcake on a rack and allow to cool.