Chestnuts: properties, health benefits and nutritional values of fruit and flour
The properties of chestnuts are many, as are the health benefits of this delicious fruit. Chestnuts, like chestnut flour, are rich in mineral salts and folic acid and are a valuable ally for the nervous system and in cases of anemia. Let's find out together all the properties, benefits, calories, nutritional values, the best recipes and even the contraindications of chestnuts. Meanwhile, here is the recipe for an "excellent mousse:
Chestnuts: a fruit with many beneficial properties
The properties of chestnuts have been known since ancient times for the benefits they bring to our health. The chestnut is the fruit of a wild tree called Castanea sativa, which belongs to the "fagaceae" family, very widespread in southern Europe and in particularly in Italy.
The chestnut fruit, with its truly unique nutritional values and the high quantity of mineral salts, has a pulp with really tasty energetic qualities. poor ". Today, however, chestnut flour has become a real gourmet ingredient for the most diverse recipes, from appetizers to desserts.
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Properties and health benefits of chestnuts and chestnut flour
The properties of chestnuts are due to their high nutritional values. This fruit, in fact, is rich in fiber, mineral salts, folic acid, making it particularly suitable for those suffering from anemia or during pregnancy for the prevention of fetal malformations.
The high nutritional values of chestnuts make them rich in calories (so it is always better not to exceed), but at the same time they make them a sort of equivalent of cereals in terms of carbohydrate richness: being gluten-free, they are often preferred in case of gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Chestnuts bring countless benefits to the nervous system: their content of mineral salts (especially phosphorus) and B vitamins (such as folic acid or vitamin B9), help to relax the nervous system, thus being very useful in case of anxiety or periods of stress.
The chestnut fruit, with its content of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, helps to keep the cholesterol level in the blood at bay. The properties of chestnuts help the entire cardiovascular system, regulating blood pressure and fighting bad cholesterol in the blood itself.
But the properties and health benefits of chestnuts do not end there: the high amount of iron makes them a real panacea in case of anemia! Furthermore, these fruits contain so many fibers that they are a valid natural remedy against constipation. Chestnuts are easy to digest and also very satiating: therefore they represent the ideal snack for mid-morning or mid-afternoon, bringing a lot of energy to your body. Chestnuts, not surprisingly, are considered a real natural tonic!
The properties and health benefits of chestnuts are also typical of the resulting chestnut flour, obtained by grinding the dried fruits.Therefore, chestnut flour is also rich in carbohydrates and mineral salts such as iron, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus and chlorine. The flour also contains many B vitamins, as well as fibers and proteins, resulting in energy, restorative and also excellent in case of intestinal problems and constipation.
Nutritional values and calories of chestnuts
The richness of nutritional values of chestnuts, as we have seen, also makes them quite caloric. In 100 grams of boiled chestnuts there are about 120 calories, in 100 grams of roasted chestnuts we find about 193 calories and in 100 grams of dried chestnuts about 287 calories. It is therefore a truly restorative fruit, excellent for picking up during the autumn season. Furthermore, we remind you, it helps to keep the level of cholesterol in the blood at bay, since it does not contain any.
Putting calories aside and focusing on nutritional values, we can say that 100 grams of boiled chestnuts contain 42.4 grams of water, 41.8 grams of carbohydrates, 10.7 grams of sugar, 3.7 grams of protein, 2.4 grams of fat, 8.3 grams of fiber.
The mineral salts and vitamins present in 100 grams of dried chestnuts, on the other hand, are: 738 mg of potassium, 1.9 mg of iron, 56 mg of calcium, 131 mg of phosphorus, 0.15 mg of thiamine (vitamin B1) , 2.07 mg of niacin (vitamin B3), 0.52 mg of riboflavin (vitamin B2).
Contraindications of chestnuts
The properties and health benefits of chestnuts and chestnut flour far outweigh the possible contraindications, but everything is - as always - not to overdo it! We have seen, in fact, that chestnuts contain many calories, and that is why they are therefore not recommended in case you suffer from severe overweight or obesity.
The high glycemic index makes chestnuts a fruit with contraindications for those suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. Care must then be taken if you have a particularly irritable colon: the fibers contained in large quantities in chestnuts could cause or worsen colitis and aerophagia.These contraindications, however, always have to do with an excessive consumption of these delicious fruits.
Recipes with chestnuts and chestnut flour
The recipes based on chestnuts and chestnut flour are really many and all delicious, from the simplest to the most complex. Among the easiest and fastest recipes to make, we cannot fail to mention the beloved boiled chestnuts, a real pleasure in the autumn period! To prepare boiled chestnuts just wash the chestnuts and pour them into a pan with cold water (the proportion is about 1 kilo of chestnuts per 3 liters of water). Add the bay leaf and a little salt and let the water boil. From the moment it boils, allow about 40 minutes for medium-sized chestnuts (one hour for larger chestnuts). And here is your boiled chestnuts, ready to taste after having drained them, wrapped in a dry cloth and peeled while still hot!
Among the many recipes that you can prepare with chestnut flour, however, we mention this exquisite first course, which you can very simply season with melted butter, sage and flaked parmesan. Prepare a mixture with 300 grams of chestnut flour, 200 grams of 00 flour, 2 eggs, salt and water. Let it rest and then stretch it until you get, as you like, lasagna or tagliatelle. You will get a really tasty first course!
