Can you eat raw chestnuts? Benefits for the body

- a very beautiful plant of the beech genus. Its wild subspecies grows in our region, but, despite the very appetizing appearance of its fruits, it is better not to eat them because they are able to inflict great harm body. Edible chestnut does not grow in our latitudes. But it can be easily purchased in modern supermarkets. Medicinal properties chestnut tinctures have been identified for a long time in the places of its growth - in Asia and North America. Let's get acquainted in more detail with chestnut, its benefits and contraindications, using the reviews of experienced nutritionists.

The mineral composition of the edible chestnut

Beneficial features edible chestnut can be compared with potatoes and rice, this is due to the high content of starch and carbohydrates in it. Also, chestnut fruits are rich in natural vegetable protein, so it can become one of the main sources of its supply to the body of a vegetarian.

Chestnut with edible fruit

In their shape and structure, chestnut fruits are somewhat similar to nuts, but the main difference in composition is the minimum content of fatty and oily substances (up to 6%). To a greater extent, chestnut contains:

fiber;
starch;
tannins;
carbohydrates (62%);
vitamins A, C and B (B1, B2, B6, B9);
beta carotene;

chestnut contains whole set useful substances

potassium;
copper;
phosphorus;
magnesium;
calcium;
manganese;
selenium.

The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates 12%/6%/82%. Energy value 170 kcal per 100 g of product.

Benefits for the body

A positive effect on the human body is produced due to the combination of fats, proteins and tannins contained in the chestnut. Increased content starch and carbohydrates make the product a real energy bomb, which is activated when it enters the body and releases great amount energy. Very useful for athletes before and after training.

Edible chestnuts look almost the same as we are used to.

The brown skin that covers the body of the fetus is rich in fiber.

Advice! Ground sweet chestnuts can be added to baked goods. This way you will achieve not only pleasant exotic taste but also to ensure your and your family's fiber intake.

The use of chestnut in cooking

Used exclusively in cooking edible kind chestnuts. Salads are made from them, fruits are baked in the oven, added to dishes as a seasoning, etc. Here are a few recipes for preparing this exotic product:

Salad with roasted chestnuts. This salad is diet dish and can deservedly be placed in a book about tasty and healthy food. It includes arugula, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, chopped roasted chestnuts and pasta from durum varieties wheat cooked "al dente" (not to fully prepared). This salad is dressed with a sauce of olive oil with lemon juice.

Chestnuts can be simply roasted or added to dishes.

Roast mushrooms with chestnut and hazelnuts. Highly healthy dish for vegetarians. Great content protein in mushrooms and chestnuts will help make up for the missing amount. Oven-roasted chestnuts are peeled and ground together with hazelnuts. Mushrooms are fried and stewed in cognac until the liquid evaporates. Separately, onion and garlic are fried in olive oil with the addition of cumin and thyme. All blanks are mixed, fit into the mold. There is added 2-3 tbsp. l. vegetable broth. The roast is baked in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Medicinal properties and use in traditional medicine

Chestnut is characterized by medicinal properties. The most useful is horse chestnut. Proper use of it can cope with a number of difficulties in the work of the human body.

Often used in folk medicine chestnut tincture. Depending on their preparation, the effect on the body is also different.

The fruits of horse chestnut scrolled in a meat grinder are poured with vodka or medical alcohol. The liquid is infused for 3-4 weeks in indoors. Strained and applied in accordance with the dosage:

in the treatment of thrombophlebitis - 20 drops no more than 2 times a day before meals for 30 days, diluted in 250 ml of water;
with varicose veins - rub the tincture into the skin at night, rinse in the morning.

Alcohol tincture of horse chestnut

Hammered horse nut fruits are poured with 3 liters of water. The resulting mixture is boiled for 35-40 minutes, cooled and poured into medical alcohol (no more than 100 ml). This tincture is used in cosmetic procedures to rejuvenate and cleanse the skin of the face.

Important! These recipes are based solely on experience. ordinary people. Testing by scientific institutes was not carried out. Before use, it is advisable to consult your doctor.

Contraindications and reviews

Chestnuts are not for everyone. Like all plants, chestnut has its own list of contraindications for people with hypersensitivity to individual units of vitamin and mineral composition product.

Be careful with the use of chestnuts, use only edible types of it. Before using ointments and tinctures based on it, consult your doctor.

How to cook chestnuts in the oven: video

Edible chestnuts: photo

The well-known chestnut plant has two varieties: edible (noble chestnut) and inedible (horse chestnut). The first is used in cooking, the second - in traditional medicine. Despite the wide distribution of the plant, many do not know how chestnut nut is useful and what contraindications it has.

What is useful and harmful chestnut nut?

Edible chestnuts, like other nuts, are highly nutritious and contain a large number of vitamins and microelements. But they also have a lot of carbohydrates and starch, which brings them closer to potatoes. this plant is not so small - 180 kcal per 100 grams. Therefore, although there is a special chestnut diet, the noble chestnut nut should be used very carefully for weight loss. But for vegetarian menu it is indispensable as a source of fat and protein.

Horse chestnut has many healing properties. An extract from it is used to treat diseases such as thrombosis, hemorrhoids, varicose veins. Nasopharynx is washed with infusion for sore throat and sinusitis, compresses with chestnut broth are used to treat burns and poorly healing wounds, rheumatism.

In addition to the benefits and harms of chestnut nuts, there can also be. When eating inedible fruits, they can be poisoned. And sweet chestnuts large quantities can cause bloating and. These nuts are contraindicated for pregnant women and nursing mothers, people suffering from kidney failure, diabetics.

How are chestnuts eaten?

Edible fruits can be boiled, baked in the oven, grilled. It's quite easy to prepare them. For example, to cook, chestnuts with an incised peel are dipped in boiling water for 20 minutes. It will take a little longer to bake - about half an hour. Many are interested in the question of whether chestnuts can be eaten raw. They are edible and fresh, although not everyone likes the taste of such fruits.

Horse chestnut is valued in traditional and folk medicine due to its beneficial properties. This tree has a wide distribution, grows in forests, park areas, on personal plots. It can reach 30 meters in height, bears fruit up to 30-40 years. In the preparation of various preparations, tinctures and other recipes, not only fruits are valued, but also other components of the plant - flowers, leaves, bark.

Chemical composition

Useful properties of fruits horse chestnut is represented by its chemical composition:

saponins increase the tone of the veins, improve blood circulation, eliminate edema and activate adrenal hormones;
glycoside reduces the risk of thrombosis, dilates blood vessels, stabilizes the central nervous system liquefies and removes mucus from respiratory tract;
tannins have an astringent and protective effect;
vitamin C strengthens the immune system, has an anti-inflammatory effect;
vitamin K reduces bleeding, strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
coumarin has a healing effect, increases blood clotting, prevents the development of tumor cells;
pectin removes toxins and salts from the body, improves the intestinal microflora, prevents the development of atherosclerotic plaques, promotes regeneration;
carotene protects the body from the effects of carcinogens, improves the condition of cardio-vascular system;
organic acids remove toxins and slags from the body, prevent the processes of fermentation and putrefaction in the intestines;
fatty oils promote tissue regeneration, eliminate inflammation, regulate metabolism;
flavonoids reduce blood pressure and heart rate, strengthen capillaries, increase bile formation;
starch is converted into glucose and provides the body with energy.

In addition to fruits, similar beneficial properties have flowers plants. Horse chestnut bark rich in tannins, saponin escin, and glycoside (esculin). have:

flavonoids - isoquercitrin, quercetin;
tannins;
routine;
spireoside;
astragalin;
carotenoids.

From trace elements leaves, flowers and fruits of horse chestnut contain selenium, boron, calcium, chromium, barium, iodine, iron, zinc, nickel.

What are the benefits of horse chestnut?

The chemical composition of fruits and other components of horse chestnut in pharmacology is valued for the following effects:

anti-inflammatory action;
antimicrobial;
bactericidal;
venotonic;
wound healing;
regenerating;
painkiller;
astringent;
diuretic;
antioxidant;
decongestant;
antipyretic;
antitumor;
anti-sclerotic.

The pharmacological properties of horse chestnut make its use in demand in traditional and folk medicine. The components of the plant can act as both the main and complementary ingredient in the prevention and treatment various diseases.

What diseases is it used for?

Due to the pharmacological properties of horse chestnut, its components are used in the solution of the following body problems:

viscosity and increased blood clotting, thrombosis;
increased permeability of the walls of blood vessels;
blood flow disorders, including pathology of venous vessels;
disturbed work of capillaries;
decreased efficiency of the kidneys and liver;
inflammatory processes and edema;
disorders in digestion, production of gastric juice and gallbladder secretion;
accumulation in the body of salts, toxins, radionuclides;

Most often, horse chestnut is used in the treatment of varicose veins.

Preparations and prescriptions based on fruits and other components of horse chestnut are used in the prevention and treatment of the following diseases:

hypertension, atherosclerosis, other diseases of the cardiovascular system;
increased blood clotting, venous congestion, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism;
spasms, trophic ulcers and mechanical damage to blood vessels, endarteritis, anemia;
hemorrhoids, bleeding various origins, including uterine;
pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, whooping cough, pneumonia, shortness of breath, respiratory diseases;
pathology of the genitourinary system, gallbladder, spleen;
hyperacidity and gastric ulcer, gastritis;
rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, joint pain, gout;
neuralgia, diarrhea, leukemia, malaria, menopause, muscle inflammation, prostate adenoma, prostatitis.

Horse chestnut components are mainly used in the treatment of leg diseases, especially varicose veins. Often these ingredients are various forms used for hemorrhoids and other similar pathologies. However, the range of application of horse chestnut is much wider, which makes it a popular product in traditional and folk medicine.

Medications

Among traditional medicine preparations based on horse chestnut, there are:

"Aescusan" - a group of angioprotectors, represented by tablets, dragees, drops, ointments and gels, is used to strengthen the walls of blood vessels in venous insufficiency, improves blood flow;
creams based on horse chestnut or its extract - a large group of products intended for the treatment of varicose veins, reduces leg fatigue, swelling and pain;
horse chestnut ointments are used to strengthen blood vessels in varicose veins, reduce swelling and inflammation, reduce fatigue and muscle cramps;
the gel is used for the prevention and treatment of venous diseases of the legs, promotes recovery processes;
gel-balm based on horse chestnut and leech extract - the remedy is also used for venous insufficiency, has a decongestant and anti-inflammatory effect, improves blood circulation.

Apart from medicines traditional medicine components of horse chestnut are used and folk recipes.

Application in traditional medicine

In folk medicine, horse chestnut is used mainly in the form of tinctures and decoctions. For their preparation, any components of the plant are used - fruits, their peel, flowers, tree bark, leaves.

Each ingredient is collected at the certain time when the concentration of nutrients in it reaches its highest value:

horse chestnut bark is harvested in spring from trees that are three years old, dried and stored in a ventilated room for no longer than a year;
tree flowers are harvested during the flowering period in May-June, after harvesting the inflorescences are laid out in the sun, then dried in the shade;
leaves are harvested from May to September, they are also stored for no longer than a year;
horse chestnut fruits ripen in August-September, for drying the kernels are separated from the peel, the latter can also be used in tinctures and other recipes.

The resulting raw materials can be further used for the preparation of prophylactic and medicinal products traditional medicine. During the collection process, pay attention to appearance and the quality of the ingredients - they should not be affected by pests or diseases.

flower juice

In the treatment of varicose veins, juice from horse chestnut flowers is often used. For cooking, you need fresh inflorescences, they are crushed with a blender, and then the juice is squeezed out.

The agent is taken in 25-30 drops, diluted in 1 tbsp. l. water. The course of treatment is twice a day for 3-4 weeks. internal use also helps with inflammation of hemorrhoids. External use relieves joint pain and gout.

Fresh Juice horse chestnut flowers are effective for varicose veins, regular use relieves symptoms within a month.

Ointment

To prepare the ointment, take 5 fruits of horse chestnut or 5 tbsp. l. dried flowers. Raw materials are poured with half a liter of vegetable oil and boiled in a water bath for an hour. After cooling, the product is filtered.

The tool is used for application to areas with inflamed vessels, used 2-3 times a day.

To prepare a special ointment for varicose veins, a similar recipe is used. 5 st. l. dried horse chestnut flowers mixed with 2 tbsp. l. sage, 4 tbsp. l. chamomile and 1 tbsp. l. potato starch.

200 g of chicken fat are added to the resulting mass, the mixture is heated for three hours in a water bath. After that, the mixture is infused for 12 hours, then boiled again. In the future, the ointment is filtered and used for application to problem areas.

Butter

As anti-cellulite agent many people use horse chestnut oil. For its preparation:

100 g of crushed horse chestnut and basil are poured into a glass of olive oil;
means insist from 10 days;
the resulting mixture is filtered, a few drops of grapefruit oil are added.

The tool can be used for manual and hardware anti-cellulite massage. It also helps with swelling and varicose veins. If necessary, an oil extract can be made on the basis of other vegetable oils. The finished product can also be purchased at a pharmacy.

Alcohol tincture of flowers

To prepare an alcohol tincture from horse chestnut flowers, you will need 10 grams of crushed raw materials. They are poured with 100 ml of vodka and infused for a week in a dark place, shaking occasionally.

The resulting tincture is taken 15-30 drops three times a day. The tool is used as a medicine for hemorrhoids, thrombosis, varicose veins, prostatitis. When applied externally, the tincture helps with sciatica, gout, rheumatic and arthritic pains.

For treatment joints and myositis also use an alcohol tincture based on horse chestnut flowers. Preparation - 40 g of dried inflorescences are poured with a liter medical alcohol. Keep sealed for a week, then filter. The tincture is used to rub the joints and muscles for pain.

Fruit tincture of alcohol

Horse chestnut tincture can be prepared according to the same recipe and proportions as the remedy using flowers. Another recipe suggests cutting the fruit into quarters and filling a glass container with them.

To obtain a tincture, the container is filled to the brim with vodka and tightly sealed. Insist in a dark place for three weeks. The tincture is used for compresses arthrosis, arthritis and rheumatism.

Another Alcohol Tincture Recipe Can Help for Healing prostatitis. To prepare the medicine, horse chestnut fruits and flowers are mixed in equal proportions. The resulting mixture is poured with vodka in a ratio of 1:10.

The tincture is sealed in glass jar, placed for a month in a dark place. Take 15 drops 4 times a day, the duration of the course is determined individually. From gout alcohol tincture helps next recipe:

50 g of crushed horse chestnut flowers are poured into 800 ml of alcohol;
the solution is placed in a dark place, insisted for 10 days;
filter, moisten gauze and use as a compress, applying to the affected area.

Decoction of flowers

To prepare a decoction of horse chestnut flowers, mix 5 g of inflorescences and bark. Raw materials in an enamel bowl are poured with 200 ml of boiled water, then boiled over low heat for half an hour. Tsedat through a triple layer of gauze.

The resulting broth in the first two days take 1 tbsp. l. once a day, then gradually increase consumption to 2-3 tbsp. l. The course of treatment depends on the disease - with varicose veins, the decoction is taken up to 8 weeks, with hemorrhoids - up to a month.

A decoction can be used to relieve uterine bleeding, douching with whites and to relieve inflammation of the prostate.

At radiation sickness use a different recipe: 20 g of crushed flowers are poured into 300 ml of water and brought to a boil. After that, the broth is infused for 10 hours, filtered. It is necessary to take 100 ml three times a day.

Infusion of flowers

Making an infusion of horse chestnut flowers helps with blood disorders and brain tumors. The recipe is simple - 1 tbsp. l. dried inflorescences pour a glass of water and heat almost to a boil.

The product is left to infuse for 6 hours, then filtered and left in the refrigerator for storage. Take a quarter cup several times a day, but not more than a liter. The course of treatment is three weeks, followed by a two-week break.

Fruit decoction

Based on horse chestnut fruit decoctions are not prepared. The kernels are used mainly in tinctures and infusions. For decoction, the peel of ripe fruits is often used.

To prepare 15 grams of raw materials, pour a glass of water, boil for 15 minutes and insist for an hour and a half. The decoction obtained is used for menopause for morning and evening washing. The tool allows you to relieve itching and dryness.

Extract

Horse chestnut extract is rich in saponins, especially escin. The tool is used to eliminate venous stasis and inflammation. It also helps strengthen capillaries and protect them from damage.

Horse chestnut extract is also used in the treatment pathologies of the cardiovascular system. Helps to normalize blood pressure, is used in the treatment of hypertension and atherosclerosis, as well as in the treatment of thrombophlebitis.

At home, chestnut extract is not prepared; for consumption, it is bought at a pharmacy in ready-made.

leaf application

Horse chestnut leaves are used:

in the preparation of medicinal preparations for the normalization of water and salt balance, as well as for the treatment of rheumatism and gout;
for the preparation of decoctions and infusions - the leaves help with colds, improve the condition of the respiratory tract, are used in the treatment of bronchitis and bronchial asthma, tracheitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis;
as a prophylactic - the leaves calm the nervous system, normalize sleep, relieve stress and nervous tension.

Traditional medicine does not offer a clear recipe for making decoctions or infusions from horse chestnut leaves. The tool is used as needed at the rate of 1-2 tbsp. l. to a glass of water.

To prepare a decoction, the mixture is steamed in a water bath; for infusion, it is poured with boiling water and insisted for one to several hours. In the preparation of tincture, the period increases to several days, the raw material is poured with vodka and kept in a dark place.

Water infusion from the bark

For the preparation of water infusion, take the dried bark of horse chestnut. 1 tsp crushed raw materials are poured with two glasses of boiled cooled water, insisted for 8 hours. Strained means take 2 tbsp. l. 4 times a day.

water infusion horse chestnut bark helps with diseases of the gallbladder, kidneys, intestines, as well as inflammation of the respiratory tract.

Contraindications for use

Horse chestnut has certain contraindications for use. plant components not used in the following cases:

low blood clotting;
severe pathologies of the kidneys and liver;
hypotension;
pregnancy;
irregular menstruation;
individual intolerance.

Among side effects allocate:

allergic reaction;
nausea, heartburn;
constipation, flatulence.

When applied externally, irritation may occur. In this case, the use of horse chestnut and preparations based on it is stopped. When lactating about the use of horse chestnut, consult a doctor.

You should also carefully use medicines based on chestnut when peptic ulcers stomach and significant cardiac pathologies.

In addition to the above, there are contraindications to the use of alcohol tincture based on flowers and fruits of horse chestnut:

pregnancy and lactation;
age up to 16 years;
atonic constipation;
hypoacid acute gastritis.

In the matter of a long course of treatment with horse chestnut tincture, consultation with a specialist is necessary. It is also recommended to check the level of blood prothrombin during the use of this drug.

The chestnut is one of the most beautiful plants in the world. Its large flowers, openwork leaves and fruits in prickly shells are reminiscent of something mythical. Indeed, ancient legend says that this tree was created by Jupiter. The loving god pursued the beautiful nymph Nea for a long time, and she, unable to withstand his onslaught, committed suicide. Feeling guilty, Jupiter turned the nymph into an amazingly beautiful tree. And so it began to be called Castanea (from the Latin "casta" - virgin, "Nea" - the name of the nymph).

Oh Paris...

For many, edible chestnuts are associated with the city of lovers - Paris. After all, it is in France that these fruits are considered national product. It is held here every year traditional holiday dedicated to sweet chestnut. If someone has never visited it, still come to mind frames from French films, where sellers roast edible chestnuts in huge frying pans right on the street. One can only imagine what wonderful aroma fills the Parisian streets at this time.

For many, the smell of roasted chestnuts evokes thoughts of distant childhood, reminiscent of potatoes baked in a fire, the aroma of hazelnuts, the fragrance of baked bread and something else elusive.

This delicacy is prepared quite simply. Today, chestnuts can be bought in the market and in the supermarket. In Europe, until Christmas, these fried fruits are sold right on the streets.

types of chestnut

The noble (sweet) chestnut is a fast-growing, long-lived tree. It was brought to England from Asia Minor and southern Europe. The plant grows in America and Asia. In Russia, it can be found on the Black Sea coast. The chestnut grows for twenty years, reaching a height of thirty meters. The leaves of the plant are carved, beautiful, long - up to 25 cm. At the height of summer, earrings appear on the branches, which then turn into fruits. Unripe chestnuts are hidden in prickly shells. They ripen in autumn and fall to the ground along with the leaves. It was then that edible chestnuts were harvested. The benefits and harms of these fruits depend on the type of plant.

There is an inedible type of chestnut - horse. It is not suitable for food, but medicines are made from its leaves, bark, fruits, flowers, which help with many ailments. So, horse chestnut extract is useful as:

Anti-inflammatory agent. fresh leaves used for whooping cough, and a decoction of leaves and fruits - for various inflammations of the respiratory tract.
Vascular strengthening. Accelerates blood flow, dilates arteries, reduces blood clotting, strengthens capillaries.
An indispensable remedy for relieving tired legs. Helps with varicose veins.

Edible chestnut: useful properties

The fruits of the chestnut tree are nuts. In their composition, they contain 60% starch, 17% sugar, 3.5% fiber, 6% protein, only 2% fat, a huge amount of mineral and biologically active substances, flavonoids, tannins, oils, vitamins A, B, C. Edible chestnuts have useful material not only in fruits, but also in leaves (carotenoids, rutin), bark, flowers (flavonoid glycosides, escin).

This plant is widely used in folk medicine. Decoctions, infusions are made from it, alcohol tinctures. The tree has the strongest energy thanks to the generous southern sun. Medicines, prepared on the basis of edible chestnut, have anti-inflammatory, astringent, antitussive, hemostatic and diuretic properties.

Sweet chestnut flowers are the rarest honey plants. Caucasian bees produce from their nectar unique product. Chestnut honey can only be tasted in the mountains of the Caucasus. Its taste and medicinal qualities have made this product especially popular among visitors to local honey shops.

According to supporters of traditional medicine, the benefits of edible chestnuts are palpable even if you just carry raw fruits in your pocket. The energy of the southern plant protects against ailments and improves well-being.

Can eating chestnuts be harmful?

Do not confuse horse chestnut and edible chestnuts, the benefits and harms in this case can go hand in hand. Only Castanea sativa is edible. In our country, it grows on the Black Sea coast. Eating horse chestnut can even cause poisoning. Often, sweet chestnut is confused with an ordinary stomach, be careful, because the second product can also adversely affect health. To be sure of the benefits of fruits, it is better to buy them in the market or in a store.

Do not abuse sweet chestnut as food product. Too much fruit eaten can cause an allergic reaction, discomfort in gastrointestinal tract: bloating, nausea, diarrhea. It is strictly contraindicated to use chestnut fruits for people suffering from:

Kidney disease, kidney failure.
Urolithiasis.
Hypotension.
Kidney dysfunction.

You should also exclude chestnuts from the diet for people with individual intolerance to any of the components that make up the product. These fruits should not be consumed by pregnant women and nursing mothers.

edible chestnut calories

Edible chestnuts are hardly suitable for unloading days or any diet. Everyone knows that any nut in itself is very high in calories. The chestnut is no exception to this rule. The high content of starch as well as protein provides high calorie content this product, it reaches up to 200 calories per 100 grams. Roasted nuts are even more nutritious. Contains 100 g fresh product has protein -1.63 g, carbohydrates - 44.17 g, fat - 1.25 g.

Edible chestnuts: how to cook?

How are these fruits used in cooking? So, chestnuts are prepared by the most different ways:

Bake.
They brew.
Roast.
Add to desserts, mousses, souffles, ice cream.
Ground dry nuts are used in baking.
Use as an appetizer for wine, beer.
Cooked with meat, vegetables, herbs, cereals.
Chestnuts are added to soups, pilaf, they are stuffed with poultry.
Made from ground nuts coffee drink make flour.

The most common cooking method is roasting chestnuts. How to do it right? It is necessary to cut off the tip of each fruit or cut the chestnut a little. This is done so that it does not burst when heated. Then you need to lay the fruits in an even layer on a baking sheet and put in hot oven. After 10-15 minutes, edible roasted chestnuts are ready to eat. Do not overdry the product: if all the moisture evaporates, the nuts will turn out to be too hard.

You can roast chestnuts directly on the fire in a dry frying pan. The process takes half an hour.

It is better to peel chestnuts while hot, after cooling the peel becomes more rigid.

Peeled before serving roasted nuts can be filled with butter.

Recipes

Chefs of the most prestigious restaurants use ordinary edible chestnuts in cooking. Recipes can be very diverse. Despite the simplicity of preparation, the dishes are very refined. Let's consider a few of them.

Chestnut dessert. Canned chestnuts are mashed together with brandy. Pieces of meringue and whipped cream are added on top. Dessert is topped with hot chocolate.
Berishon. For cooking you will need:

500 gr. pork belly;
500 gr. cabbage;
300g chestnuts;
300 gr. Luke;
100 gr. wine sauce.

Disassemble the boiled head of cabbage into individual leaves. Wrap a little in each leaf pork belly, extinguish. Slightly sauté the onion in the oil. Roast the chestnuts in a dry frying pan. Separate all ingredients on a large plate. Serve the sauce separately in a gravy boat.

3. Roasted chestnuts and Brussels sprouts.

We will need:

200 gr. chestnuts
400 gr. Brussels sprouts;
20 gr. butter;
a few strips of bacon.

Roast the chestnuts in a dry frying pan. Slightly boil the cabbage in salted water. Fry bacon with cabbage in oil. At the end add chestnuts.

Do not eat raw edible chestnuts.

Before frying or baking, the fruits must be cut or pierced to avoid an “explosion”. You don't have to do this before cooking.

Nuts should be consumed immediately after cleaning. Cleaned for future use, they dry out and lose their taste.

Don't overcook the chestnuts. The product becomes too hard.

Store chestnuts in a dark, cool place after purchase.

If you are overweight, it is not recommended to get involved in chestnuts, as they are too high in calories.

In our country, people rarely think about the benefits and harms of edible chestnuts. Painfully exotic food. However, for those people who want to know more about useful properties different products and contraindications for their use, information about chestnuts will not be superfluous.

What it is?

Trees of the genus are called chestnuts. Castanea, growing in a warm temperate climate and having edible fruits.

There are many varieties Castanea. In the Caucasus, you can easily find Sowing Chestnut ( Castanea sativa). If you purchase imported nuts, then these are most likely the fruits of European or American Chestnut.

In addition to trees that have edible fruits, chestnuts are sometimes called other types of plants whose fruits cannot be eaten.

How to distinguish edible chestnuts from inedible ones?

In our latitudes, one must be able to distinguish trees of the genus Castanea with edible fruits from horse chestnut ( Aesculus), the fruits of which are poisonous.

Learning to distinguish edible options from inedible is easy - just look at the photo.

The trees on which the fruits ripen have completely different leaves. Horse chestnut leaves are complex palmate, the tree whose nuts can be eaten has single leaves.

The fruits themselves are different.

In an edible chestnut, nuts are collected together in 2-4 pieces, surrounded by branched spines on the outside. Those nuts that cannot be eaten are solitary. They do not have spines on top.

Composition

Chestnuts are nuts. However, their composition is fundamentally different from the composition of other fruits belonging to this class.

Nuts are high in fat, protein, and fat-soluble vitamins. But carbohydrates, fiber and vitamins, soluble in water, they are much less. Chestnuts are different. In their composition, they are close to vegetables such as potatoes or corn: they are rich in starch, fiber, vitamin C.

So, 100 grams of fried fruits contains:

245 kcal;
53 grams of carbohydrates, of which 5 are fiber, which is about 20% daily allowance;
2.2 g of fat, including saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid molecules;
3.2 g protein;
59% of the daily dose of manganese;
43% vitamin C;
25% vitamin B6 and copper;
17% folate and potassium;
16% thiamine (vitamin B1);
10% vitamins B2 and K;
8% magnesium;
7% niacin;
6% pantothenic acid;
5% iron;
4% zinc.

The given data may differ slightly depending on the type Castanea.

Please note that the data on the composition of these nuts is always given per 100 grams. fried product because it is inedible when raw.

The benefits of chestnuts are also explained by the presence in them of compounds with antioxidant activity. This is not only vitamin C, which is the strongest antioxidant, but also some other substances, such as polyphenols.

The antioxidant activity of nuts is in many ways similar to. Like the autumn orange berry, chestnuts provide the body with significant amounts of copper and manganese, which provide enzymes that are natural internal antioxidants for humans.

Another useful property of chestnuts is the absence of gluten in them. high content starch. This makes it possible to prepare flour from nuts, which can be used for baking by people who suffer.

Medicinal properties

Improved digestion: Supports the beneficial intestinal microflora and eliminates chronic constipation.
Immunity strengthening. Strengthening of bone tissue, prevention of osteoporosis.
Help in the normalization of blood pressure in hypertension.
Prevention of atherosclerosis.
Improving brain function: enhancing cognitive abilities, preventing neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia.
Protection against cancer and premature aging.

How do they work for weight loss?

The calorie content of chestnuts per 100 grams is 245 kcal. Them glycemic index not high - 54. This makes these nuts a product that can be included in the menu for losing weight people. Moreover, the explanation of why chestnuts are useful for weight loss is more extensive than just a moderate calorie content and a low GI. It:

support for beneficial intestinal microflora (overweight people always have a pathological change in the composition intestinal microflora);
anti-inflammatory activity (according to current scientific information, the rapid accumulation of body fat is associated with the presence of latent inflammatory activity in the body);
fast satiety for a long time, providing a decrease in the total number of calories consumed during the day without the pangs of hunger;
slowing down the absorption of food, which guarantees the prevention of a massive release of insulin after eating, which leads to the rapid formation of body fat;
a general improvement in metabolism and an increase in energy potential due to the activation of various enzymatic systems.

However, despite all its benefits, chestnuts are not the kind of product that you can lose weight on. Yes, it is allowed to be included in the menu proper nutrition when losing weight. But do not lean on these nuts. Since their glycemic load is quite high. And the unconditional benefit for weight loss is only that food that does not load the body with a significant amount of carbohydrates.

chestnut soup

Yes, these nuts can be used to make the most real soup. To do this, they must first be fried or boiled.

Ragout with pumpkin

, which can be multiplied if you combine it with chestnuts.

How to do this, you can see.

baked chicken

popular in many countries festive dishes on New Year and Christmas are chickens or turkeys baked with chestnuts.

Here is one of those recipes.

You can cook nuts with meat. It will turn out delicious and very satisfying.

We have only listed chestnut recipes that are easy to make at home and are healthy. There are also many sweet dishes with this ingredient.

Of course, you should not deny yourself a lifetime of sweet desserts. You just need to clearly understand the following. If you wanted to know the health benefits of chestnuts and found out what medicinal qualities they have quite a lot, if you decide to include these nuts in your diet for their benefit, you should not mix them with sugar and other easily digestible carbohydrates.

In a sweet form, they no longer carry any benefit to the body, since sugar not only causes harm to health in itself, but also negates the healing effect of other food components.

What is the possible harm?

Strict contraindication for the use of chestnuts is an allergy that is less common than for other types of nuts. It usually manifests itself in the form of redness of the skin and severe itching.
It is also necessary to remember that the fruits Castanea edible only when cooked. Harm of a chestnut that has not passed heat treatment, is due to the fact that it contains a lot of tannic acids, the consumption of which can lead to unpleasant side effects.
In a nut that has been subjected to heating, the amount of these compounds is minimal. However, chestnuts are not recommended to be eaten at the same time as taking medications, as tannic acid residues in them can reduce the activity of drugs.
We must not forget about the glycemic load, which is quite high. By the amount of carbohydrates and their chemical structure this species nuts resembles potatoes. Therefore, it is a conditionally permitted product for both diabetics and those who are losing weight. Especially those who are trying to lose weight on a low-carb diet.

Is it possible to eat chestnuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

If no allergy to these nuts has been previously identified, then during pregnancy they can be included in the diet. But if you did not try them before conception, then you should not start using them during the period of bearing a child.

Breastfeeding women are advised to include nuts, including chestnuts, in their menu, as this reduces the likelihood of developing a nut allergy in a child in the future. However, some babies may already be allergic. Therefore, after a chestnut meal, it is imperative to monitor the child's well-being: observe whether he has a rash, whether nausea and abdominal pain have occurred.

The benefits and harms of edible chestnuts: conclusions

The fruits of trees of the genus Castanea are unusual nuts.

In my own way chemical composition they are more like vegetables, such as potatoes, than nuts. They are high in starch, fiber, and vitamin C. Low in fat, protein, and fat-soluble vitamins.

Chestnuts are good for blood pressure, perfectly saturate, help to raise the immune system and contribute to the improvement of the intestinal microflora.

In moderation, they can be eaten by pregnant women, nursing mothers and those who want to lose weight.

At home, chestnuts can be prepared in a variety of ways. But whatever the recipe, nuts must be fried, baked or boiled before being put into practice, since they are inedible when raw.