Eating chestnuts in autumn is highly beneficial for stomach health and wellness
A complete guide to uniquely flavored chestnut dishes
Every 100 grams of chestnuts contains 5.7 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat, 40-45 grams of carbohydrates, and 25 grams of starch. The vitamin content in raw chestnuts can be as high as 40-60 milligrams, while cooked chestnuts contain about 25 milligrams. Chestnuts also contain inorganic salts such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium, as well as various components like carotene and B vitamins.
1. The rich unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals in chestnuts can help prevent and treat diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and osteoporosis. It is a nourishing delicacy that fights aging and prolongs life. For middle-aged and elderly people, drinking chestnut porridge can help nourish the kidneys.
2. Chestnuts contain riboflavin, and eating them regularly is beneficial for persistent canker sores in children and mouth ulcers in adults.
3. Chestnuts are a type of dried fruit with a high carbohydrate content, providing the body with significant energy and aiding in fat metabolism. They have the effect of replenishing qi, strengthening the spleen, and nourishing the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Chestnuts are rich in vitamin C, which helps maintain the normal function of teeth, bones, blood vessels, and muscles. It can prevent and treat osteoporosis, soreness and weakness in the lower back and legs, pain in the muscles and bones, and fatigue. It slows down the human aging process and is an ideal health fruit for the elderly.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, chestnuts are sweet in nature and warm in temperature, and are non-toxic. They have the effects of "replenishing qi and strengthening the spleen, nourishing the intestines, tonifying the kidneys and strengthening the sinews, promoting blood circulation and stopping bleeding."
Both raw and cooked chestnuts can be used to treat weak and无力 legs and waist, frequent urination, nausea, bloody stools, chronic lymphadenitis, cervical lymphoid tuberculosis, and chronic diarrhea caused by deficiency and coldness of the spleen and stomach, or infertility due to kidney deficiency after a long marriage. Burning dried chestnut shells into charcoal, grinding them into a powder, and mixing them with honey before taking with water can treat internal hemorrhoid bleeding.
Some traditional Chinese medicine practitioners also use a combination of chestnut shells, prunella, and red sage root to treat acute cervical lymphadenitis and goiter. Its nourishing function for the human body can be compared with that of ginseng, astragalus, and angelica. Chestnuts are sweet and warm in nature, and they act on the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. They have the effects of nourishing the stomach, strengthening the spleen, tonifying the kidneys, strengthening the waist and sinews, promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, and reducing swelling. They are suitable for symptoms such as soreness and weakness in the knees and waist, difficulty in moving the waist and feet, frequent urination caused by kidney deficiency, chronic diarrhea caused by deficiency and coldness of the spleen and stomach, and traumatic fractures, swelling and pain from bruising, skin sores, and muscle and bone pain.
The unsaturated fatty acids and various vitamins in chestnuts have the effect of combating hypertension, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and other diseases.
In terms of medicinal value, chestnuts are an excellent remedy for kidney deficiency, and also have the functions of strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, clearing heat and detoxifying, stopping diarrhea, and treating cough.
There are many ways to eat chestnuts; they can be eaten fresh, boiled, sugar-fried, used in dishes, or processed into various foods. In the south, chestnuts are used in cooking as a delicacy for banquets, with famous dishes like chestnut black-bone chicken, braised mutton with chestnuts, stir-fried chicken with chestnuts, and stewed pig's trotters with chestnuts being well-known. In the north, sugar-fried chestnuts are glutinous, fragrant, and sweet, delicious and tasty. When the chestnut pulp is finely ground and cooked with glutinous rice to make porridge, it has a fresh and clear fragrance and is also a superior medicinal food. Chestnuts with japonica rice can strengthen the spleen and stomach, increase appetite, and also tonify the kidneys and strengthen the bones and sinews. It is especially suitable for the elderly with poor appetite due to functional decline, and soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees.
Chestnuts not only contain a large amount of starch but also rich protein, fat, B vitamins, and other nutritional components, and are also high in calories. The vitamin B1 and B2 content in chestnuts is rich, with the vitamin B2 content being at least 4 times that of rice. Every 100 grams also contains 24 milligrams of vitamin C, which is incomparable to grains. Although chestnuts are rich in nutrients, whether raw or cooked, their protein, fat, and various vitamin contents are not high; their main component is carbohydrates (i.e., sugars).
Chestnuts produce relatively high energy; it's just that fresh raw chestnuts contain more water, so their various nutrients are relatively less than those of dried and cooked chestnuts. Because the carbohydrate content in chestnuts is not low, when eating chestnuts for nourishment, avoid eating too many, especially for diabetics, so as not to affect blood sugar stability.
It's truly surprising how many benefits chestnuts have. However, although chestnuts are good, eating too many can easily cause bloating and indigestion. So, how much is the right amount to eat?
It's fine to eat 7 or 10 cooked chestnuts at a time, twice or even three times a day. It's best to eat chestnuts as a snack between meals, and never eat a large amount after a meal, as this is not conducive to maintaining a good weight. Also, be sure to throw away any spoiled chestnuts and do not eat them to avoid poisoning. Also, do not bite the chestnut shells with your mouth. Raw chestnuts are difficult to digest, and cooked ones can easily cause stagnation of qi. Eating too many at once can damage the spleen and stomach.
When eating chestnuts, chew them slowly and finely until they become a pulp with no residue, and then swallow them bit by bit to achieve a health-preserving effect.