Introduction: Holding a bag of freshly roasted chestnuts in hand, enjoying the crisp autumn breeze while eating and walking—this is the most pleasant thing about autumn. What many people don't know is that chestnuts can be eaten both raw and cooked, and they offer different benefits.
Chestnuts are sweet and warm in nature, and they are associated with the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. They have effects such as nourishing the stomach and strengthening the spleen, tonifying the kidneys and fortifying the sinews, invigorating blood and stopping bleeding, relieving coughs and resolving phlegm. Due to their high carbohydrate content, they provide significant energy, which helps the body resist cold. The unsaturated fatty acids, various vitamins, and minerals they contain are beneficial for the prevention and treatment of conditions like hypertension, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and osteoporosis. The rich riboflavin in chestnuts helps prevent mouth ulcers.
Braised Pork with Chestnuts
In China, there are many folk methods for using chestnuts to nourish and treat ailments. Sun Simiao emphasized the method of "eating them raw." Middle-aged and elderly people can effectively prevent and treat kidney deficiency, lumbar soreness, and leg pain by developing a habit of eating dried raw chestnuts daily.
It is recommended for middle-aged and elderly individuals to eat three to four raw chestnuts in the morning and evening. By chewing the chestnuts thoroughly in the mouth until they become a pulp with no residue and then swallowing it slowly, the health benefits can be maximized.
Braised Lamb with Chestnuts
Cooked chestnuts can harmonize the stomach and strengthen the spleen, alleviating spleen deficiency. Steaming the chestnut kernels, grinding them into a powder, and making them into cakes is suitable for children with poor appetite and a weak constitution to increase their appetite and regulate their digestive system. A congee made with chestnuts and japonica rice not only helps patients with chronic diarrhea caused by a deficient and cold spleen and stomach recover faster, but it is also a proven dietary remedy for the elderly with indigestion and qi deficiency and fatigue.
If you buy sugar-roasted chestnuts, eating 7 to 10 a day is sufficient, preferably as a snack between meals. Otherwise, eating too many raw ones can be difficult to digest, and eating too many cooked ones can easily obstruct the digestive tract. Do not eat more than 10 per day. Choose chestnuts with intact shells, natural color, and not excessively shiny. Never eat moldy or old chestnuts, as they can easily cause food poisoning. Due to their high sugar content, diabetics should best avoid chestnuts. Those with severe "internal heat," fever, food stagnation, or a feeling of fullness and bloating in the upper abdomen should also not consume them in large quantities.
Braised Chicken with Chestnuts and Red Dates