Edible chestnut: health benefits and harms

The flora of the planet Earth is amazing and varied. Millions of different plants - large and small, known and not very grow in almost all corners of the globe. And all of them are endowed with the ability to influence the human body. Many plants, it turns out, have the ability to heal a person from various diseases, to help him improve his health and maintain his beauty and youth. Such unique plants include edible or real chestnut, the strength and usefulness of which can have a beneficial effect on many vital systems of the human body.

How it looks and where it grows

The noble chestnut belongs to the Beech family. The height of such trees can reach 50 m. Its brown-brown bark is quite strong and thick. Chestnut leaves look like an elongated oval. They can be extended up to 25 cm. Their color is usually dark green. The teeth are located along the edges. The fruits themselves are placed in the so-called bun, which has spines on the outside and inside is fluffy. As a rule, there can be up to 3 nuts in one plus, but sometimes 7 can also be found. When ripening in October, the “box” splits into 4 or 2 (which is much less common) parts. The fruits are colored brown, glossy, the seeds are light brown with a yellowish, fleshy embryo, which contains a fairly large amount of starch.

Chestnut has been known since the Cretaceous. He prefers a warm climate. Its places of growth are considered to be the regions of the Mediterranean Sea, East Asian countries, US regions located off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the southern territories of Russia, Ukraine and the Balkan lands.

The plant settles on the shady slopes of the mountains, but it does not like dry soils or wetlands.

Kinds

Today, the most popular, in addition to the chestnut present, are several species: Australian, red, horse, Guinean, Japanese, Chinese, smooth, forest and Indian.

1. Australian. This type is also called indoor, because one of the subspecies is really grown for home decoration. Its growth is only 3 m. It is grown in wide pots at a temperature of + 18 ° C to + 25 ° C. Another species of plant has a height of about 40 m and is found in Australia. He loves moisture, and therefore chooses for himself places near rivers. In spring, bright, red or orange flowers appear on the tree, replaced by 20-centimeter pods containing poisonous fruits - nuts.
2. Red. This is a beautiful, evergreen, ornamental plant, reaching 25 m in height. The tree is moody and loves fertilizer and moisture. During flowering, and this is April, May and June, the plant seems to be wrapped in a red, bright, floral veil. Actually, that is why this species got its name.
3. Horse. This variety joined the Sapinda family. This tree can stretch up to 25 m. It has a luxurious crown and tricuspid pluses, in which one (sometimes 2 or 3) nut is hidden. Most often, the plant is planted in park ensembles of countries with a temperate climate.Fruits can be used as animal feed, but they are not suitable for human consumption, only for medical purposes. In addition, it is used in furniture production.
4. Guinean. " This is a variety of Malvaceous trees. The second name is Pahira. The species of such trees includes 24 varieties, of which 3 have edible fruits. “Guineans” are considered desert inhabitants, and therefore have the ability to store life-giving moisture in their stems. They are also distinguished by an unusual trunk, which consists of several stems intertwined with each other. Such a plant blooms in large inflorescences, painted white, and the fruit itself is similar to an oval “berry”, inside of which there are edible seeds. It is quite possible to grow such a representative of the plant world at home, while the tree does not reach 20 m, as in the wild, but only stretches to 3.5 m. But the plant is capricious and will simply die if it is improperly or poorly maintained.
5. Japanese or towny. Also is a representative of the Beech family. Its height can reach 15 m. The leaves are oblong and painted in dark green. The plyushka is prickly and hides in itself three nuts that are suitable for eating. The tree itself loves moisture and tolerates low temperatures. This type of chestnut is growing in China, Korea, and also in Japan. At the same time, it was the Japanese who bred approximately 100 varieties of this variety.
6. Chinese. This species is known in Korea, Russia, China, Western Europe, North America and the Caucasus. This is a lush tree that grows up to 20 m. Its plusa is silky and has 2 or 3 fruits. Nuts of this variety are very appreciated by the culinary experts of the whole world.
7. Smooth. This is a kind of horse chestnut, up to 20 m high. The leaves are smooth, the fruits are covered with soft small thorns and tubercles. The tree was chosen by its European, North American and Central Asian countries.
8. Forest. He is also a representative of the horse chestnut family, but is considered one of the low varieties, because its height does not exceed 6 m. It is mainly grown in the countries of America.
9. Indian. It grows on the lands of India. This is a tall 20-meter tree, with fleshy, but prickly fruits.

How to distinguish edible chestnuts from inedible chestnuts

The most popular varieties of chestnut are horse and real. But if the fruits of the first are not to be eaten by humans, then the second is an appetizing and healthy dish. In order not to confuse these two plants, or rather their fruits, it is worth remembering the following differences:

1. A box with nuts or the plush of a real chestnut has brown long spines, while a horse has a green color and rarer spikes.
2. A horse chestnut, as a rule, hides one nut in a bun, and a real one has 3 or more. And it also distinguishes the views from each other.
3. The edible chestnut tree has single lanceolate leaves.
4. In the last spring month, horse chestnut blooms with beautiful, pyramid-like, white or pink “bells”. But the flowers-ears of his edible brother are practically invisible and have no special brightness.
5. Sowing chestnut nuts have a hazelnut shape and a sweetish taste. The fruits of the horse, although it looks like a real color, differ from the last with a bitter aftertaste.

By such external differences, you can easily determine the type of chestnut and decide its future fate: either prepare a delicious treat, or make a craft or feed your pets.

Composition and calorie content

A noble or real chestnut is not only a beautiful and powerful tree with delicious fruits, but also a plant whose nuts can bring tangible benefits to mankind, because wise nature “laid” the following useful nutrients in fleshy fruits:

• retinol;
• thiamine;
• riboflavin and other B vitamins;
• ascorbic acid;
• vitamin PP;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• sodium;
• iron;
• leucine;
• zinc;
• manganese;
• copper;
• organic acids;
• tannins;
• omega 3;
• omega-6;
• ash compounds;
• cellulose;
• water.

The nutritional value of the product can be estimated by the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the following ratio: 2.4 g, 2.3 g, 45.5 g, respectively, per 100 g of product. The maximum number of calories is 213 kcal.

Not every product boasts such indicators, and therefore edible chestnuts are a unique nut that allows a person to find an affordable, natural remedy for combating many diseases.

What is useful edible chestnut

General benefit

Chestnut fruits, like a fairy chest, where instead of diamonds the most valuable and important is stored - human health. Thanks to its nutrients, nuts have the following properties that have a beneficial effect on the human body:

• reduction of edema;
• expectorant property;
• bactericidal effect;
• improvement of intestinal motility;
• diuretic effect;
• hemostatic property;
• prevention of atherosclerosis;
• improvement of the digestive system;
• preventing irritation of the mucous membranes of the digestive tract;
• decreased acidity of gastric juice;
• normalization of blood circulation;
• prevention and treatment of varicose veins, thrombophlebitis and their consequences, as well as vascular diseases;
• increase in overall body tone;
• reduction of rheumatic pain;
• normalization of the nervous system;
• prevention of aging processes.

All this is a general effect on the body, which does not depend on the gender of the person. Meanwhile, eating nuts in completely different ways can affect the body of men, children and women.

For women

Women just need to include edible chestnut nuts in their diet. They will help to fill in the missing useful vitamins and minerals, improve the general condition, reduce the effects of stress. In addition, the wonderful effect of a unique product for the female body lies in the fact that chestnuts improve blood flow in the pelvic organs. This normalizes the functioning of the reproductive system and reduces the risk of cancer.

Also, the fruits will be useful during the menstrual period, because they facilitate the outflow of blood, while at the same time reduce the possibility of viral infections. Chestnuts will be useful for girls who suffer from varicose veins. The product is able to maintain and restore the elasticity of blood vessels, maintain muscle tone. The skin will also say “thank you” if these nuts are present in the diet of the weak half of humanity, because they significantly improve the appearance and take care of prolonging youth.

For men

The use of chestnuts for men will help in strengthening immunity, increasing stamina, and generally toning the body. Also, nuts will be useful for those members of the stronger sex who are forced to lead a sedentary lifestyle, as it is this category that is most prone to such a delicate but painful problem as hemorrhoids. Chestnut-based medications help reduce the inflammatory process, reduce pain, and improve blood circulation.

In addition, the fruits can inhibit the development of prostate cancer. Therefore, men seeking to maintain and maintain their health will benefit from the use of this product.

During pregnancy

The state of pregnancy is a kind of stress for the female body, on which the load increases significantly during this period. Chestnut could be an excellent additional source of vitamins, as well as protect a pregnant woman from stress and nervous excitement.

But experts warn about the impossibility of eating fruits while the baby is waiting. First of all, this is due to the ability of a nut to affect blood circulation, which can be dangerous for a future mother and her child. In addition, chestnut can cause allergies in the baby. Therefore, doctors prohibit not only consuming chestnuts, but even using them externally or as part of various medications.

When breastfeeding

During the lactation period, nursing mothers are shown a rigid diet aimed at the correct formation of the baby's body. Products consumed by a woman during such a period should be of absolute benefit and not cause risks for the development of any diseases or disorders in the baby. In this regard, the use of chestnuts during breastfeeding is also prohibited, as during pregnancy, because fruits can cause dysfunctions of a growing organism, colic, bloating and an allergic reaction.

For kids

In childhood, the use of chestnuts will help to cope with seasonal colds, strengthening the immune system, increase the general tone of the body, positively affect blood circulation, improve digestion and provide the child with all the necessary useful substances. But at the same time, pediatricians and experts in healthy nutrition recommend introducing a child to a healthy dish no earlier than five years of age, because chestnuts the children's body is poorly absorbed and digested. In addition, malfunctions in the liver, pancreas and kidneys may occur.

Also, the fruits are quite capable of provoking bloating and making the process of defecation difficult. It is best to wipe the chestnuts to a puree state and mix the product, for example, with potatoes, and then look at the reaction. But before starting use, consultation with a specialist is necessary to prevent a possible danger.

When losing weight

Nutritionists recommend that their patients introduce chestnut dishes into the menu, as the fruits help regulate the functioning of the heart muscle, nervous system, eliminate pain, relieve fatigue, remove excess fluid and replenish vitamin balance. Nuts are saturated with dietary fiber and have a considerable calorie content, but this will not have a negative effect if you use the product without exceeding the number of allowed calories per day.

In addition, the nutritive value of the nut is considered high, and to satisfy the hunger you will need to eat it very little. The main thing is a measure, and then the extra pounds will begin to "go away", and the benefits of nuts will remain!

Application in traditional medicine

Traditional medicine does not use chemical compounds to treat its patients, unlike official medicine. All her recipes are based on the knowledge of her ancestors, who were able to discover and convey to our times the secrets of nature, capable of healing with its natural strength. Chestnut has become a good “medicine” to help get rid of many diseases. Moreover, not only the fruits themselves can be used for treatment, but also the bark and inflorescences of the tree.

Various ointments, tinctures and decoctions help folk healers to cope with the help of a chestnut with such ailments as:

• atherosclerosis;
• circulatory disturbance;
• loss of vascular elasticity;
• thrombophlebitis;
• ulcer;
• hemorrhoids;
• malaria;
• constipation;
• diarrhea;
• bleeding;
• inflammatory processes of the lungs.

Alternative medicine uses the following recipes for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

With varicose veins

Composition:

• 30 parts of chestnut flower juice;
• 1 part of water.

Squeeze the juice of chestnut inflorescences. Then mix the specified number of parts with water and use as an external agent, rubbing places where there is inflammation.

With cyclic pain in women

Composition:

• water - 10 g;
• juice of chestnut inflorescences - 30 drops.

Mix the components with each other and take twice a day.

In the treatment of thrombophlebitis

Composition:

• chestnut - 10 g;
• vodka - 100 g.

Grind the chestnuts for this recipe and pour alcohol afterwards. In this state, they should stand 10 days in the dark. After that, filter the product and combine 30 drops of the drug with ordinary boiled water in an amount of 60 ml. Take a "potion" is recommended every time before eating.

For joint pain

Composition:

• chestnut nuts - 50 g;
• vodka - 500 ml.

Grind the fruits of the chestnut at the very beginning, and then attach vodka to them. Administer the drug for 21 days. Take the drug internally, drinking 20 ml before eating, and externally, rubbing the joints.
The duration of treatment should be 30 days.

With gastritis

Composition:

• chestnut tree bark - ½ tbsp .;
• water - 0.4 l.

At the first stage, connect the components and insist the agent for eight hours. Then boil the composition for 3 minutes from the moment of boiling, and then filter. After this, the drug is recommended to be divided into 4 parts and drunk in one day, consumed before each meal.

For external use

Composition:

• chestnut - 15 g;
• olive oil - 150 ml.

Grind the chestnut nuts and combine with the butter. Next, insist the remedy for 2 weeks. After this, you can rub the inflamed area with the resulting oil.

To normalize cholesterol

Composition:

• 50 g peel of chestnut fruit;
• 500 ml of vodka.

Combine the crushed shell with vodka and insist for 15 days, while shaking the tincture daily. After the specified time, filter the product and then take 30 drops three times a day, mixing with the same amount of boiled water.

Such simple recipes will help to properly prepare chestnut medicines that can cope with many diseases no worse than medications.

How to use in cosmetology

Cosmetology also did not deprive the attention of the fruits of a noble chestnut. Its abilities are highly valued in violation of capillary microcirculation and are used to improve the appearance of the skin, prolong and preserve youth, tone, whiten, remove toxins, and protect against UV radiation. It is also used as a hair strengthening agent, as walnut is really able to prevent their loss, strengthening the bulbs themselves. In addition, the anti-inflammatory property has a beneficial effect on the purity of the skin, eliminating acne and acne.

Modern cosmetics often include fruits or other parts of the chestnut tree. But good and high-quality drugs cost a lot of money, so you can significantly save the budget and prepare magic masks and shampoos yourself.

To narrow pores and nourish facial skin

Composition:

• chestnut fruits - 4 pcs.;
• milk - 125;
• quail egg yolk - 1 pc.;
• castor oil - 1 tbsp;
• wheat flour - 1/3 tsp

To make a mask, you must first prepare the powder from the fruits of the chestnut, for which chop several nuts and dry them naturally for 3 days. Next, take 3 tbsp. the resulting raw material and add to boiling milk, after which cover the milk-chestnut mixture with a saucer and insist for 30 minutes. Then attach the remaining components to the composition, mix and apply on the face for 10 minutes. Wash after applying warm, but not hot water.

To preserve youth

Composition:

• chestnut nuts;
• homemade sour cream.

To cook this mask, you should boil chestnut nuts. Quantity can be taken at your discretion. Mash boiled nuts to a puree state and attach sour cream to them, following the consistency, which should resemble gruel. Then apply the composition to the skin of the face and wait 10 minutes, and then wash with cool water.

Anti-acne mask

Composition:

• dry powder of chestnut fruits - 2 tbsp .;
• egg white - 1 pc.;
• tea tree oil - 1-2 drops.

Beat the protein lightly with a whisk and combine with chestnut powder. Then add the remaining components and mix everything. Keep such a composition on your face for about 20 minutes, and then wash with warm water.

Against hair loss and to activate their growth

Ingredients: dry powder of chestnut fruits.

In order for the hair to stop falling out and become strong and long, you just need to wash your hair with chestnut powder. To do this, simply rub the powder into wet hair at the roots. In this way, wash your hair once a week.

These simple recipes will help, without resorting to expensive procedures, to preserve the beauty for many years.

Edible Chestnut Cooking

Most people associate chestnuts with the city of musketeers and stately castles - Paris. It was in him that such a delicacy became almost a business card. The smell of roasted chestnuts on the streets of the world capital of fashion is able to evoke a variety of pleasant memories or dreams. But not only in France, chestnuts have gained popularity. Chefs in many countries around the world use this product to make soups, salads, side dishes, sauces or desserts. It is customary to combine meat, vegetables, and ice cream with nuts. At the same time, all these gourmet dishes can be prepared in your own kitchen:

Hot Appetizer "Chestnut"

Ingredients:

• 0.4 kg of chestnut fruits;
• 0.25 kg of cherry tomatoes;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 4–5 cm of ginger root;
• 4 tbsp olive oil;
• salt;
• pepper.

Boil the nuts for 15 minutes, peel and cut into small pieces. Then fry them in warmed oil. Next, add tomatoes to the mass, cut into halves, while you can pour a little liquid so that the dish does not burn. After chopped garlic and ginger and attach to the tomato-chestnut composition. Add salt, pepper and simmer for 10 or 15 minutes until tender.

Baked chestnut

Ingredients: noble chestnut fruits.

Rinse the nuts and make an incision in the form of a cross. If this fails, then the fetus can be cut from the side. Next, put the chestnuts on the non-stick pan and put it in the oven preheated to 200 ° C for 20 minutes. When the dish is ready, peel the nuts while still warm. It will be much easier.

Soup

Ingredients:

• 350 g of meat broth;
• 125 g chestnuts;
• 1 tbsp flour;
• 125 ml of 10% cream;
• 1 tbsp butter;
• celery;
• wheat crackers.

Peel the fruits and put them in a pan with chopped celery and meat broth. Stew the dish for 40 minutes with the lid closed. Fry flour in butter and add cream. To cook the prepared meat broth with chestnuts with a blender and put on low heat again. Add milk sauce, salt, add pepper, bring to a boil and remove from stove. Put crackers in a bowl with soup.

Harm and contraindications

Edible chestnut can not be consumed by everyone. Unfortunately, its use is prohibited in the following diseases:

• pathology of the gastrointestinal tract and impaired functioning;
• bleeding in the lungs or stomach;
• diabetes;
• tendency to obesity;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• children's age up to 5 years;
• individual intolerance;
• chronic renal failure.

With such violations and inflammatory processes, the use of nuts is not recommended by doctors.

How to choose and store

To enjoy the sweet taste of a real chestnut treat, it is important to make the right choice. To do this, follow the following rules:

1. It is better to buy chestnuts in the fruiting season, i.e. in September, October and November.
2. A good nut should be hard to the touch, heavy, brownish-glossy, without visible damage.
3. The size of the nuts depends on the area and can vary from the size of the walnut to the average mandarin.
4. The fetal shell must be uniform and dense. If it is squeezed or has some spots, then such a chestnut is not worth buying.

The rules are simple and very simple, but they really help to get a real tasty product that can beneficially affect human health. But it is equally important to properly preserve the product. Chestnuts due to the fact that they contain a lot of liquid, can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days, no more. When stored in the freezer, the period of their use can be increased up to six months. You can also dry the fruits naturally or with an electric dryer. So they are less useful, but can be stored longer in canvas handbags.

Is it possible to eat horse chestnut

Horse chestnut, of course, looks like a noble variety, but its use in food is prohibited. Having eaten such fruits, you can seriously poison yourself and get a risk of gastrointestinal tract disorders. But this nut can be used to feed livestock. Horse chestnut is also great for medical purposes, as it is its fruits, bark and leaves that serve as the main raw material for the preparations in which this product is mentioned.

Interesting Facts

Chestnut - a tree is quite ancient, and therefore a lot of interesting facts have been accumulated about it during its existence:

1. In Geneva, under the windows of the government, a chestnut tree grows. At that moment, when the first leaflet appears on it, the city government announces the beginning of the arrival of spring. The paradox is that spring can come in December and March or twice in one year.
2. The oldest chestnut grows in Sicily. Its trunk is 57.9 m in diameter, and its age is about 4000 years.
3. Chestnut fruits are considered the only nuts containing ascorbic acid.
4. European kings, or rather, architects of castles, have established one interesting pattern: spiders bypass chestnuts and do not weave their nets there. That is why chestnuts served as raw materials for the construction of many European residences.
5. The most "greedy" for chestnuts are the inhabitants of China, because it is they who consume a little less than half of all the fruits on the planet.
6. In Corsican churches in the Easter service it is customary to hallow the fruits of the chestnut, and not the cakes.

Here is such a surprisingly healthy and tasty nut hiding in a prickly purse of an ancient tree. Chestnut has unique nutrients that can take care of human health, and therefore it is worthy to occupy, if not the main, then quite an honorable place among dishes of everyday diet.

Photo of edible chestnut