We learned about edible chestnut from French films.

At home, he is a favorite delicacy, but for us it remains an unprecedented curiosity, although now this overseas delicacy is available and on sale.

We will talk about the beneficial properties and dangers of fruits today.

This is a tall tree of the Beech family with unusual inflorescences in the form of a pyramid, as well as with edible fruits.

  A sectional fruit is a cream or yellowish nut.

The territory of its distribution is the south of Europe (Balkans, Greece, etc.), Asia and America, in the post-Soviet space - the Caucasus, the Black Sea coast.

Outwardly, this nut looks like horse chestnut, growing in our latitudes, but, unlike it, is not toxic, although both plants have medicinal properties.

Chemistry, calorie content and nutritional value of chestnut

The fetus contains: ascorbic and folic acids, B vitamins, retinol, riboflavin and niacin, and in addition, copper and iron, potassium and calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and manganese.

Nut energy value  - 166 kcal fresh, 182 kcal fried per hundred grams of product.

Unlike other nuts, the fruit contains more carbohydrates and proteins than fats. It also has a lot of starch, fiber and sugars.

Spiders do not like this tree and do not weave cobwebs on its branches. Perhaps that is why most European castle buildings used chestnut wood.

Chestnut is often used for metabolic problems., walnut with its beneficial properties helps to normalize metabolism, stimulates the production of the necessary enzymes, and regulates the water-salt and acid-base balance. It regulates fat metabolism, which reduces the risks of liver disease.

  Edible chestnut has a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland, useful properties support the work of the endocrine system, normalize blood flow.

Moderate but regular eating of fruits is an effective prevention of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, thrombophlebitis, venous congestion and varicose veins.

The benefits of chestnuts for men

Horse chestnuts are most useful for men who have problems with the reproductive system. Most potency problems are related to poor circulation in the genitals. Fruit-based medications help solve this problem, as well as cure prostatitis.  Of particular value is that such a medicine does not harm other organs.

Chestnut trees have existed since the prehistoric period; they can live for more than half a century. Written evidence, dated 378 BC, about baking bread from chestnut flour by the ancient Romans, has been preserved.

The benefits of chestnuts for women

Toasted nuts, if consumed during critical days, women feel much better.

They are useful for menopause: improve the hormonal background of women during this period. In gynecology, fruit-based preparations are used for uterine bleeding and edema, and for stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs.

It is interesting how edible chestnuts are useful for women who prefer to walk in heels: how to prepare them for strained joints of the feet and not only - a detailed description below.

The use of chestnuts

Are chestnuts useful? Of course, their use is not limited only to cooking, the fruits are used in medicine (folk and traditional), in cosmetology. It is even procured for the future in order to have raw materials for preparing medicines or dishes.

In folk medicine

What is the health benefits of chestnut from a medical point of view? Traditional medicine uses tinctures, decoctions and ointments based on this nut.

To treat joints, prepare a tincture of fruits, make compresses, rubbing, in the absence of contraindications taken orally. To prepare, take 70 g of flowers, 10 g of chopped fruits and 0.5 l of vodka; insist a week. Inside, take 20 drops before meals. This tincture is useful for varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, arthrosis, rheumatism and osteochondrosis. It is advisable to clarify the dosage in consultation with a doctor.

A similar tincture, with the exception of the flowers in the composition, when taken orally helps with hypertension. For diseased joints, an ointment is also prepared from grated nuts, adding vegetable oil.

In pharmacology, horse chestnut is a part of drugs for various diseases (gynecology, urology, gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular system, respiratory tract).

In cosmetology

Chestnut, due to its properties, benefits and finds application in the care of skin, nails and hair. Many cosmetics: tonics, scrubs, creams and milk have these fruits in their composition.

Walnut in cosmetology exhibits the following properties:

• stimulates the production of elastin and collagen;
• strengthens hair and nails;
• reduces pigmentation;
• relieves swelling and smooths scars and scars;
• normalizes the function of the thyroid gland, which positively affects the general condition of the skin and hair;
• helps relieve inflammation of the eye mucosa;
• slows down the aging of the body.

What is useful chestnut nut for skin? It is an effective antioxidant, in addition, products based on it regenerate and nourish, as well as moisturize the skin and cleanse the pores.

In cooking. How to make chestnuts

From the point of view of cooking, it is a multifaceted product: it is baked, boiled, fried, dried, ground into flour. Desserts (mousses, soufflés), salads are prepared from the fruits, added to second courses, to meat, seafood, and added to baked goods.

  What are the benefits of chestnuts for the body, and how to eat them? Vegetarians make up for the missing protein.

Since there is little fat in the product, it is valuable in terms of diets and rehabilitation measures after an illness or surgery, and also for weight loss.

The simplest dietary salad is made from these nuts., any fresh vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes) and herbs, seasoned with olive oil.

When frying or baking fruits, the skin covering them must be punctured, otherwise they will explode. That the fruits were not too rigid, it is important not to overexpose them.

Harmful properties and contraindications

The fetus has contraindications for pregnant women: do not eat them and use drugs based on them. Do not use the product during lactation, it will cause bloating in the baby.

It is forbidden to use the product and medications with it for the following diseases:

• urolithiasis disease;
• kidney dysfunction;
• hypotension;
• liver disease.

Frequent use in large quantities can lead to gastrointestinal problems: bloating, diarrhea.

How to fry chestnuts at home, see the video:

As soon as overseas fruits appeared in our stores and restaurants, many questions arose about how chestnuts are useful, what kind of fruit they are. It turns out that this is not only an interesting dish, but also a therapeutic and dietary product.

Modern medicine is increasingly resorting to old and already proven recipes. Patients try to prefer natural medications to medicines. Perhaps this is correct, because such compounds cause the human body much less damage than a variety of chemical compounds. One of the well-known medicinal products is the chestnut fruit. Their application is quite wide. It can be both internal and external.

This article will provide you with information on how to properly cook and collect the fruits of chestnut. The use in folk medicine of this tool will be described below. You can find out what problems and diseases it eliminates.

Chestnut: tree fruits

If we talk about the components from which traditional natural medicines are made, then this is not only dense round chestnuts. Currently, the benefits of tree bark, its inflorescences, leaves and green shells of the fruit have been proven. The components described are always collected at different times. The flowering period is the spring months, in particular May. It is then that the neatly cut inflorescences and leaves from the plant are produced.

Mostly collected in this period. It contains the maximum amount of nutrients. Speaking directly about the fruits, they are harvested in late summer or early fall. It all depends on the region in which the trees grow. In warm areas, this period falls on September-October. In colder - in July-August. After assembly, the fruits of the chestnut, the photo of which is presented to your attention in the article, are carefully processed. They can be dried, crushed, cooked or infused. It all depends on the purpose of the application.

Chestnut fruits: properties

The plant gained popularity in folk medicine many decades ago. In the 18th century, chestnut extracts were first used in traditional medicine. Currently, you can find a lot of drugs containing this plant.

The healing properties of chestnut fruits can be listed for a very long time. The plant has antiseptic, astringent, healing, antipyretic and regenerating effects. It also has a beneficial effect on blood, blood vessels and the heart. It is impossible not to note the medicinal properties of chestnut in relation to the stomach, intestines and the general digestive system. The fruit of the tree is widely used to treat neurological problems and diseases of the respiratory system. Skin pathologies are often eliminated with a plant such as chestnut (its fruit). Cosmetology is a separate branch of medicine in which the described product is used.

To whom is the plant contraindicated for use?

Treatment with chestnut fruits almost always has positive reviews. All due to the fact that it contains a huge amount of tannins, vitamins (especially C), coumarin glycosides (fraxin, esculin and others), starch, fatty oil. However, some people are contraindicated in such components. That is why, before you independently resort to traditional medicine, you need to visit a doctor and consult with him.

Chestnut fruits (photo - below) and potions from them should not be used during pregnancy and after childbirth. During lactation, it is better to abandon such therapy, since there is no data on the effect of the plant on the child. Cooked products can not be taken with reduced platelets and bleeding. It can be life threatening. Chestnut (fruit) is not used for exacerbations of kidney and liver diseases. If the patient suffers from gastritis, an imbalance in the acid balance of the stomach, then it is worth warning him about the dangers of such treatment.

Chestnut fruits (the use of drugs prepared from them) can lead to the development of seizures of the extremities, the appearance of heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and stool disorders. If you encounter such symptoms, then categorically refuse traditional treatment and seek help from traditional medicine.

Horse chestnut (fruits): application in various fields

As you already know, the prepared medicine can be used internally and as a local remedy. It all depends on the pathology and accompanying symptoms. The most popular remedy is chestnut tincture. It is prepared in various ways, however, all options for use can be divided into two. In the first case, the drug is taken drip inside. In the second, it is applied to the surfaces of the body.

Chestnut lotions and decoctions are also very popular. To prepare them, use bark, peel and flowers. Preliminarily, the ingredients are dried and ground.

An important point in the use of chestnut is a ban on its use. It must be remembered that the fruits of this tree are inedible. They are very dangerous for health in their usual form. If a person consumes several fruits, then severe poisoning can occur (up to a fatal outcome). It is necessary to protect the prepared raw materials from children and pets. Especially often the victims of chestnut are domestic rodents and dogs. Consider what horse chestnut (fruit) has in folk medicine.

Diseases of the veins and blood vessels

Chestnut (tree fruits) is often used to treat hemorrhoids and varicose veins. The main quality of the plant is that it helps to thin the blood and remove the inflammatory process. The most useful parts of the tree for this purpose are brown fruits and flowers. The tincture is being prepared from the latter. Fruits can be used as raw materials for a compress.

• To prepare the tincture, you need to take round brown chestnut fruits (5 pieces) and 50 grams of dried inflorescences. All this is placed in enameled or glassware and poured with vodka. You need to insist the medicine for two weeks in a dark place, shaking daily. Such a drug is applied to the dilated veins of the lower extremities with a cotton swab twice a day.
• Take fresh inflorescences and squeeze the juice from them. The resulting composition should be stored in the refrigerator, taking 30 drops daily. Remember that manipulation is best done before meals.
• If you suffer from hemorrhoids or ulcers appear on your legs, you can use the chestnut crushed into dust. To do this, clean the skin and dry it. Then grind it and store in a dry place. Sprinkle the affected areas daily at bedtime, then apply a bandage.

Viral and bacterial infections of the respiratory tract

Chestnut (fruit) is able to cure diseases such as tracheitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis. In some cases, the plant helps to cope even with pulmonary tuberculosis. With any disease that is accompanied by a cough, the effect of the plant is observed. However, you need to know how to cook it.

• Take the dried bark of a tree and chop it. Pour the fruit with two glasses of chilled water and let stand for 8 hours. After this, it is necessary to strain the drink. Take 3 tablespoons by mouth up to 6 times a day.
• Grind dry Take one tablespoon of raw materials and fill it with two glasses of boiling water. Wait 10 minutes and strain. In the resulting liquid, put two tablespoons of honey. Drink a quarter cup three times a day.

Women's issues

Often used in gynecology is the chestnut plant - a tree whose fruits have the important property of normalizing hormonal levels. So, such alternative medicines are prescribed for malfunctions in the menstrual cycle, a prolonged absence of menstruation, infertility, mastopathy, and so on. Remember that you must always consult with a gynecologist before starting the correction.

• Prepare 8 dry flowers of a tree and fill them with hot water. Bring the solution to a boil and remove from the stove. After this, strain and leave overnight. The next day, drink one sip every hour. Next, take a break for two days and build a diagram.
• For cycle disorders, tincture is usually recommended. To prepare it, take the whole fruit of the chestnut in a ratio of 1 per 100 milliliters of vodka. Mix the ingredients and leave for one month. You can take the composition 5 drops three times a day, starting from day 16 of the cycle. Remember that the drug contains alcohol. Gynecologists advise, before starting this correction, to take tests to determine the level of hormones in the blood and get recommendations from a specialist.

Joint diseases: inflammation and trauma

The properties of horse chestnut are different. Among them there is an anesthetic. If you suffer from rheumatism, arthritis, inflammation of the articular joints, then chestnut will help you. In such situations, the plant can be used both internally and externally. To enhance the effect, these two schemes are combined.

• Take 10 green fruits and lightly cut them. Place in a container and fill with a bottle of vodka. Wait a week, then strain. This tincture is taken orally by 20 drops with a meal. If it is impossible to use ethanol, compresses are made from the obtained tincture once a day for two hours.
• Peeled chestnut fruits in an amount of 5 pieces, grind into flour, add a fat cream or butter. If possible, you can use. In this case, the effect will be maximum. Rub the sore spots before going to bed, and then wrap them with cloth.

Stool Disorders: Diarrhea and Diarrhea

As you already know, chestnut fruits contain tannins and astringents. They relieve inflammation and establish intestinal motility. With diarrhea, this medicine helps quickly and effectively.

• Grind a teaspoon of bark and fill it with two glasses of boiling water. Wait until the broth cools down, and then strain. Take 50 milliliters before each meal.
• Peel the fruits of the chestnut from the green peel and mash the last in the mortar. Add half a glass of hot water and leave for 6 hours. Then remove the peel. Take a teaspoon drink three times a day.

When treating diarrhea with the described agent, you need to carefully monitor the work of the intestines. As soon as the condition returned to normal, the folk remedy is canceled. Excessive use of the drug can lead to chronic constipation.

Use in cosmetology: chestnut for face and hair

Recently, the plant has been used very often for the preparation of masks, point preparations and hair components. As you already know, chestnut has antioxidant properties. This helps women using this composition to keep their skin young and beautiful. Even in a polluted and dusty city, the fairer sex can have a beautiful complexion. Chestnut and its fruits help get rid of acne, blackheads, skin irregularities, as well as narrow enlarged pores.

For the face, you can cook a variety of masks with chestnut. For this purpose, fresh inflorescences and fruits of the tree are chopped. Depending on the type of skin, additional ingredients are added: honey and egg yolk (for and cucumber (for oily); lemon and zinc paste (for problem) and so on. Before manipulation, be sure to conduct a sensitivity test and make sure that there is no allergic reaction.

The use of chestnut for hair helps reduce hair loss and enhance growth. As a result, the hair becomes soft, shiny and obedient. Problems such as dandruff, seborrhea, high fat content and the like are eliminated. After each wash, rinse the curls with a decoction of chestnut. To prepare it, take whole fruits and place in an enameled bowl with water. Bring to a boil and wait 10 minutes. Cool and strain.

The Chinese consume more than 50% of the world harvest of chestnuts, the French celebrate a real chestnut festival and fry the fruits, going to the central squares, in huge pans.

In Russia, chestnuts are not grown, so European treats can only be found in supermarkets.

There are 2 varieties of chestnuts:

1) Horse chestnut - poisonousunsuitable for food, but is actively used in medicine and cosmetology.

2) Noble ("real")  - its fruits are edible.

It will be about the fruits of edible chestnut. How useful and what harm can they bring to our health?

Edible chestnut: composition, as used

Externally, the chestnut is easily confused with hazelnuts - brown, round, with a strong shell. Its consistency is similar to mashed potatoes, and tastes somewhat like potatoes or corn. Pleasant and sweet in taste, the composition of the chestnut is rich in healthy substances.

The composition of the chestnuts is as follows:

Minerals (carbohydrates, starch)

Cellulose

Carbohydrates

Proteins

Vitamins A, B, C

Beta carotene

Calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, etc.

Edible chestnut: what are the benefits for the body?

Useful for vegetarians is the property of chestnut - a huge content of vegetable protein in it. Therefore, it will serve as an excellent substitute for animal protein in the human body.

Chestnut - a cure!  Not only the fruits of the chestnut, but also the bark, leaves and buds benefit human health. Chestnut broth is perfect for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, for the treatment of hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis and dilated veins of the nasopharynx. It increases vascular tone, lowers the fragility of capillaries, and blood flow speeds up.

Chestnut broth perfectly refreshes the skin. It is enough to take two tablespoons of crushed chestnut and pour a glass of boiling water. Done! Wipe your face every 2-3 days. After a month, the skin ceases to be dry, inflammation and redness pass, small wrinkles are eliminated.

Chestnut - an energy bar!  Yes, it’s hard to believe, but only 2-3 chestnuts for dinner saturate our body, and there will be no hunger. An ideal option to freeze the worm and moderate the appetite that wakes up at night. Also, chestnut helps get rid of malaise and fatigue.

There is an interesting fact that direct contact with a chestnut can charge you with energy, strength and a good mood. Take a trip to Southern France, Spain or Italy, where the fruits of chestnuts are grown, and be sure to check the veracity of the statement.

Chestnut - an assistant in the diet!  It contains a small amount of fat, so this product must be added to the number of the first when drawing up a vegetarian diet, because it contributes to weight loss. It is almost impossible to recover even from a large number of eaten chestnuts. Chestnut is also useful to athletes before and after training.

Chestnuts - a side dish for roast. The French consider chestnuts to be indispensable assistants in the preparation of their culinary masterpieces. Chestnuts are baked, boiled, fried until golden brown. Add to salads, cereals and even wine. Once in the same container with meat, they give it an excellent aroma and unusual taste. Chestnut is a favorite product of the masters of the kitchen. At the same time, chestnuts baked in the oven can also be an independent dish.

Chestnut - the perfect dessert for ice cream! To prepare it, you need only 4 ingredients: 500 g of chestnuts, 80 ml of brandy or wine, 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 teaspoons of sugar. Chestnuts are pre-cooked for 5 minutes in boiling water, then peeled and spread in the form of butter and sugar. The form is sent to the oven and baked for 10-15 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees. Cooked fruits should be sprinkled with cognac and served with ice cream.

Chestnut - a panacea for many diseases. Doctors often talk about the incredible healing energy of chestnuts, which not only act as a preventive measure, but also treat diseases such as mastitis and mastopathy. The fruits of this plant are also used for massage of the mammary glands. However, self-medication is not worth it, any therapy must necessarily take place under the supervision of a doctor.

In order to cope with cellulite, just make simple chestnut scrub:  mix olive oil, basil or other herbs, essential oil and directly the chestnut itself, previously ground.

Health benefits for people with a sore back. With radiculitis is enough sleep on chestnuts. The body will receive a natural massage that strengthens the nerve roots and the pain begins to subside. With diseased joints, you can make a bracelet from dried chestnuts and carry it on your hands. There are enough 6-7 pieces in the bracelet.

Rheumatism is considered one of the most dangerous and common diseases of mankind. For rheumatism, a good prevention is the constant fingering of chestnuts. By forcing the hands to work, the motor skills of the fingers are improved, and the bones are strengthened.

Chestnut cleanses the body, removes harmful substances and promotes proper functioning of the body’s internal system. Chestnut tincture can be used as a diuretic and anti-edema. The tannins in the composition of chestnuts help with furunculosis. Chestnut-based products treat wounds and burns.

Supporters of traditional medicine advise carrying chestnuts in their pockets in order to protect themselves from ailments, protect against life troubles and health problems.

Another useful property of chestnut for sensitive people, prone to depression and stress - a few pieces of chestnut a day tone up and strengthen the body from the inside.

Calorie chestnut

Chestnut is a great alternative to high-calorie nuts, chocolate bars and seeds. Chestnut is a very low-calorie product - 166 kcal per 100 g  product. Roasted chestnuts are, of course, more high in calories. Their energy value rises to 202 kcal.

Edible chestnut: what is the harm to health?

When introducing chestnuts into the diet, be sure to consult a specialist, so as not to harm your health. Since chestnut fruits have a large number of contraindications. If in doubt, it is better to abandon the product so as not to harm your body.

Individual intolerance

Allergies

Renal failure

Pregnancy and lactation

Menstrual irregularities

Gastric bleeding

Diabetes mellitus

Stomach ulcer

As in everything, one must observe the measure when eating chestnuts. Excessive consumption of them can lead to convulsions and problems with the digestive system: constipation, heaviness in the abdomen, nausea and bloating.

Be careful when buying chestnuts.. After all, there is its second kind: horse chestnut. Being poisonous, you can’t eat it. Outwardly, it is very difficult to distinguish them, but there is one small clue: the end of the cotyledon is pointed at the edible chestnut. Eating poisonous chestnuts can cause poisoning, so buy chestnuts only in trusted stores, carefully examining the packaging.

Eating chestnut can harm people suffering from cardiovascular disease. Due to the high content of carbohydrates and starch in them (almost 60%), the load on the heart and blood vessels increases.

Chestnut reduces pressure. Therefore, hypotonics should refrain from using it.

Chestnut is a heavy food for digestion. Poorly roasted fruits can harm the intestines and cause diarrhea. Therefore, people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should not eat chestnut in any form.

Chestnut-based scrub can dry the skin, so it’s important not to overdo it and abandon lotions and creams that aggressively affect the skin before applying the scrub.

Edible chestnut for children: useful or harmful

Can I give children chestnuts? And in what form?

Unfortunately, there are no official recommendations for making chestnuts in children's diets. Benefit or harm until the end is not known. However, experts are inclined to believe that the child’s stomach is able to perceive such a kind of food only from 4-5 years old. Being a product difficult to digest, chestnuts are poorly absorbed and harm the baby’s digestive tract. Problems with the liver, kidneys, and pancreas may occur. It is best to cook for children a homogeneous mass of pre-cooked chestnuts and add, for example, mashed potatoes or soups. Chestnuts can cause bloating and constipation in your baby, so be sure to consult a pediatrician to avoid harm to the growing body.

How to clean chestnuts?

There are some tips that will make it much easier to clean your chestnuts:

1) First you need to cut the top of the chestnut, put in boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.

2) Put in the freezer of the refrigerator for 4-5 hours, then dip them in boiling water and substitute under a stream of cold water.

The positive and negative properties of chestnuts are not fully understood. As can be seen from the article, the benefits of chestnuts are significant, and the harm is almost minimal. Chestnut is a delicious sweet, effective medicine and a fruit with beneficial properties. Eat the fruits of the chestnut and be healthy!

More recently, this fruit, which in some places replaced the locals with potatoes and corn, was completely alien to us. Today we are increasingly looking at chestnuts- not only on European trips, but also on the menu of restaurants, in shops and in their own kitchens.

What are chestnuts

In the courtyard of my childhood, as in many other old Moscow courtyards, luxurious chestnut grew. We can say an exemplary chestnut: in height it reached the sixth floor, regularly bloomed with elegant candles in May and dropped out of place the weighty shishaki in a sunny October. Solid greenish pebbles were used for a variety of children's games, but if someone had told us that they were fried, cooked and made out of them cakes with chocolate, we would laugh in his face. By the way, they would have done it right, because that chestnut was obviously horse- its leaves looked like curly star-shaped paws (they are oblong at a tree with edible fruits and are attached to the branch cuttings one by one).

Edible chestnuts do not grow in our latitudes. The closest place on the map is the Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan, but even there they for some reason come out as small as walnuts, while in Europe they are about the size of a good tangerine. However, especially large ones are valued almost like truffles and are not even exported. You can meet them in southern France, in Spain and, of course, in Italy, where, of course, solid delicacies will be born.

The best ones are in Sicily, just the best ones are in the north of the country. In Piedmont, in Lombardy, on the streets you can see signs warning of the seasonal fall of nuts (chestnuts are nuts). During this very fall, passers-by, without any hesitation, pick up a crop, lay them out, satisfied, according to their cases and bags from Furla - you should, because you don’t have to pay three euros per kilo, like in a supermarket!

Extremely rare for Europe preserved in northern Italy wild chestnut forests, where in September-October, whole companies go with baskets. And mothers of families remember dozens of recipes for the preparation of this autumn gift of nature. You need to hurry: chestnuts are poorly stored - after a couple of days they begin to dry out and deteriorate. True, if you freeze them baked or boiled, then you can use the whole season, and the taste will not suffer.

However, where only chestnuts do not throw nature. One of the varieties is fragrant chestnuts tamba  - grows on the Japanese island of Honshu. In the Land of the Rising Sun, chestnuts are very respected - among the poetic Japanese people they are considered the same symbol of autumn, like blooming sakura - a symbol of spring. Fresh Tamba chestnuts are so sweet that they don’t even add sugar to them when they cook rice balls of karimoti, an amaguri beer snack or a filling for waffles sold at noisy crossroads of old cities.

How to eat chestnuts

We also gradually got acquainted with chestnuts. Sooner or later, each of us went to Europe for Christmas and was fascinated by its magic. Winter may have been warm and almost snowless - such that I wanted to walk and walk. In the old city around the cathedral, a festive market was noisy and offered all kinds of sparkling and singing treasures. Aromatic corrugations were baked everywhere, punch and mulled wine were poured, warming interest in life. And, of course, chestnut sellers who theatrically controlled in the dropping dusk with their antediluvian braziers were an integral part of this whole tale. Brown chestnuts bounced on the iron sheets, crackling, and glowed to a noble golden hue. Bursting balls were poured into a paper bag - then they opened easily, showering the skin, and pleasantly burned. The taste resembled hazelnuts and at the same time boiled sweet potatoes that are baked on the streets of Asian cities. But it happened in Paris, or Rome, or Strasbourg, Cologne, Vienna ...

In general, our memories of the day when we first tried chestnuts are not without sentimentality. However, dropping sentiment, you can to cook  exotic nuts procured in the ordinary market or in expensive gastrobutics, and in your own kitchen. The easiest recipe is fry  them in the same primitive way: make an incision (otherwise they will explode) on the flat side, put on a frying pan (not on a Teflon one, of course), cover it and listen to how they jump there, ready to burst and show the world a gentle crumbly inside. However, the most delicious chestnuts are not those that have already burst, but those that are about to burst, "on the verge" ... But to define this "just about" is already practically an art. Only professionals own it. For example, the Japanese, who roast their Tamba chestnuts in drums with hot river sand, without leaving the temperature controller unattended.

Chestnuts are delicious exceptionally hot, just from a roasting pan or frying pan. If you are aimed not at a fleeting connection (students' dinner: chestnuts and young wine), but at a serious relationship, this stage of roasting can be the beginning of what is called a wonderful friendship. Using a spoon, carefully remove the warm flesh from the cracked skin and cook in one of dozens of ways.

How to cook chestnuts

Say chestnuts can be served as garnish for roast  - instead of the usual potatoes. Or add to pilaf. Or, as in the Caucasus, pour them with a lot of onions into the dishes, where meat is being prepared, and leave it for ten to fifteen minutes: chestnuts will have a completely different flavor. And they will need to be served separately, generously sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

A dinner near Moscow is good combination with applesand: first, pour water, bring the chestnuts to a pleasant softness, then drain the water, add chopped apples and butter and simmer until the fruit is soft. Piquancy will bring prunes and nuts to the dish.

Chestnuts are baked, fried, boiled, they also stuff the bird: in America - for Thanksgiving, in Europe - for Christmas. We are not bound by centuries-old traditions and can start a rooster or turkey right now. By the way, a capon stuffed with chestnuts and Armagnac in gastronomic boutiques is sold for incredible amounts.

Chestnut is generally a favorite of masters of haute cuisine. And those who like to make unusual flavor combinations. By the way, in such combinations, it is perfect as a souvenir: I’ve just been brought jam from Paris, called "chestnuts and Chinese smoked tea." It’s almost savory, you don’t eat it with cookies or pancakes - it's just an artifact.

Friends interested in gastronomy will appreciate the beauty of the game if you cook for them chestnut soup. It does not require special knowledge or efforts: to a meat broth seasoned with onions, garlic, celery and parsley, after chestnuts you need to add a spoonful of butter, a glass of cream and a little alcohol like brandy.

When there is no time to mess with roasting and peeling nuts, you can use canned chestnut puree. It forms the basis for dozens of interesting and easy-to-perform dishes. Mostly, of course, sweet. The simplest cake that you don’t even need to bake: stir a couple of glasses of mashed potatoes with 175 grams of butter, 300 grams of dark chocolate and a few tablespoons of rum thoroughly, put into a mold and stand overnight in the refrigerator. Or just whip the mashed potatoes with cream.

Of chestnut flour  aromatic cookies  (um, with pine nuts and raisins), but probably most of us, especially children, like whole chestnuts: bite nut as big as an egg, besides with such an unusual taste - who doesn't like it? Manufacturers Indulge Our Weakness First marron glaces  - glazed chestnuts, which can be found in any French, Spanish or Italian supermarket.

Chestnuts, aged in sugar syrup and hidden in a shell made of thick chocolate or white glaze, are easy to make on their own. Even easier - "Drunk" chestnuts: Pour a hundred grams of sugar into a glass of red wine, put boiled chestnuts and simmer for a while over medium heat until a syrup forms. Then, while still hot, lay whipped cream on the feather bed, sprinkle with vanilla and garnish with mint and candied fruit.

Edible chestnuts come on sale in three types: fresh, unpeeled, fresh-frozen, peeled and pickled. The latter is a ready-made product, without additional processing they can be added to the salad, for example, in combination with orange or with smoked duck breast fillet. Freshly frozen chestnuts must first be fried and then used, say, in a soup with porcini mushrooms. And fresh unpeeled nuts need to be cut, covered with foil and baked in the oven for about 20 minutes, then salt and eat just like eating seeds or corn.
  Another unusual “chestnut” product, directly to nuts, though not related, is honey. It is pleasantly liquid (it does not crystallize until spring, or maybe longer, it just didn’t stay longer with us), dark brown - it’s chestnut! - colors with a light aroma and amazing bitter taste. It is useful for kidney and stomach diseases, it kills microbes. There is absolutely no chestnut honey - it would be too bitter, bees collect pollen from other plants. And the more distinctly the bitterness is felt in honey, the more chestnut itself is in it.

Chestnut  - This is a plant from the genus Beechen. It can be of two types: noble (it is sweet or edible) and horse (inedible). The tree grows in America, Europe, Asia. Chestnut is especially revered in France, even a holiday is celebrated in his honor. Fruits are used in cooking, they can be added to the first and second courses, sauces and desserts are prepared from them. Nuts are eaten fried, boiled and baked. They help with a number of diseases, they are used in alternative medicine and pharmacology.

And we will talk about which chestnuts can be eaten and how to use them to treat diseases.

Nutrition Facts of Chestnut

Chestnuts contain the most carbohydrates. The calorie content of the product varies depending on the method of preparation - the raw product contains 165 kcal, stewed or boiled - 130 kcal, and when frying - 180 kcal per 100 grams.

Steamed chestnuts are considered to be dietary - they only 56 kcal, while the useful substances in them do not become less.

Chestnuts contain 2-3% fiber and 3% minerals. In addition, chestnuts abound in vitamins A, C, and B.
  The seeds of chestnut have a lot of cumanic glycosides, triterpene saponin, escin, fatty oil (up to 7%), protein substances (up to 10%), starch (up to 50%) and tannins (1%).

The chestnut fruit is considered a nut, but it contains much less fat than other members of this family. Despite this, this fruit is very satisfying and nutritious, and therefore more useful. Due to its texture, it is included in vegetarian diets.

Chestnuts have long been used as food; their benefits and harms for the body are very great. Distinguishing a noble from a wild species is quite simple. In noble fruits, the box is covered with a dense layer of needles. Inside each box are a few nuts with a pointed tip.

Noble varieties are used in cooking for the preparation of various dishes, flour. But not only roasted chestnut is popular, useful properties are observed even in raw fruits, which taste very similar to potatoes.

Each of the fruits contains many vitamins of groups A, B, C, fats, sugar, starch. Chestnuts have a short shelf life. It is best to eat nuts in the fall when they begin to ripen.

What is useful edible chestnut:

• used in the treatment of atherosclerosis;
• strengthens blood vessels, improves blood circulation;
• effective for thrombophlebitis, ulcers, inflammation of hemorrhoids;
• eating raw fruits can cure malaria, constipation, diarrhea;
• if roasted, they can stop the bleeding.

The benefits of wild chestnut

Wild chestnut, although it cannot be consumed due to its toxicity and bitter taste, it also has its beneficial properties. The horse-chestnut got its name back in the 16th century, when the health-improving property of walnut on horses was first noticed.

A few years later, the nut began to be used for the manufacture of medicines, tinctures, decoctions. Thanks to the useful substances eculin, escin, the fruits of chestnut have been used in some areas of medicine for:

• adjusting blood coagulation;
• cleavage of blood clots;
• removal of inflammatory processes, edema.

Horse chestnut is one of the main components for the manufacture of ointments, tablets, injections, drops used in the treatment of varicose veins, diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Almost every part of the chestnut (inflorescence, bark, nut) is used in the treatment of:

• inflammation, pulmonary edema;
• bronchitis;
• anemia;
• stop bleeding;
• gall bladder diseases;
• inflammatory processes of internal organs;

Horse chestnut is one of the most powerful, but at the same time contradictory fruits. If you collect the medicinal raw materials correctly, it can relieve many serious health problems, no worse than expensive medications. If you do this illiterately, the medicine may be useless or even turn out to be poison.

To collect fruits, bark, leaves and inflorescences of horse chestnut need away from the city, highways and large settlements. A tree that grows in the forest, in the mountains, away from roads and industrial plants is best suited. The first step is to collect inflorescences when the chestnut blossoms in May.

Flowers need to be picked, laid out in direct sunlight and dried in a ventilated and warm place for a couple of days. Store in a canvas bag. The bark is also collected in the spring, when the first juices begin to collect under it. It is better to cut the bark from young branches, and then carefully dry it in the sun.

Bark is stored for no more than a year, then it gradually loses its useful properties. Leaves can be collected at almost any time - from the appearance of young leaves to the yellowing. But the fruits are only ripe - as soon as they begin to fall to the ground. Green unripe chestnut fruits can be dangerous.

Horse Chest Slimming

During weight loss, chestnut will be useful for external use, as it improves blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.

With the help of this product, women who monitor their figure get rid of cellulite and edema.
  Undoubtedly, the effect of the use of chestnut will be much more noticeable if you use it in combination with physical exercises and anti-cellulite massage.

Chestnut Slimming Recipes

• Powdered dried chestnut bark is mixed with oil and used for anti-cellulite massage. The bark in this case serves as an exfoliating and stimulating agent.
• The combination of chestnut with a decoction of chamomile and an infusion of green tea significantly enhances its effect.
• During long-term storage, the massage mixture loses its useful properties and can even release toxins, so it should be cooked in small portions and stored in the refrigerator.
• Particular attention should be paid to problem areas during massage - before the procedure they need to be cleaned of skin secretions.

It is enough to do such a massage every 2 days for a month, every week increasing the portion of the applied mixture, and the result will not be long in coming. A stronger effect can be obtained if you take a bath before each procedure.

On the issue of the use of chestnut during pregnancy, doctors unanimously con.

The fact is that this product has a very strong effect on blood vessels, and any sudden change during pregnancy is unacceptable. They do not even recommend removing edema with the help of medicines containing chestnut extract.

Horse chestnut medical use

After studying the healing properties of chestnut, it becomes clear that its use in medicine has no analogues. Each part of the plant contains a whole range of nutrients, and therefore it is widely used in official medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Therapy using horse chestnut preparations for diseases of increased fragility of capillaries, inflammation of the veins, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis is very effective.

The presence of biologically active substances in the fruits, leaves and inflorescences allows horse chestnut preparations to be used in the treatment of neuralgia, since the plant has a calming, hypnotic effect on the body.

The drug promotes tissue nutrition, due to improved blood circulation in the vessels. A chestnut-based agent is used in the treatment of thrombosis that occurs in the postoperative period, inflammation, thromboembolism.

Pharmacological agents, which include this plant, are effective in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. They eliminate the symptoms of diarrhea, normalize the processes of secretion of bile from the gallbladder. Chestnut-based drugs are used for tonsillitis, bronchial disease and tonsillitis.

Empirically, it was found that the most effective drug is alcohol seed extract, which along with this also has the least toxicity. One of the main effects on the body is the escin glycoside, with a pronounced venotropic, anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect.

Of the pharmaceutical preparations for oral administration, there are:

• Water-alcohol extract of Aescusan;
• Esflazide, a tablet preparation;
• Anavenol - is available in the form of drops or dragees.

For external use, creams and gels containing horse chestnut extract are used: cream Venitan and gels of Dr. Tays, Essaven.

The health benefits of chestnuts are very great, therefore, in folk medicine it has been used for many years.

Phlebeurysm

• 50 g of flowers;
• 0.5 l of vodka.

Cooking

1. Place chestnut flowers in a glass jar;
2. Pour vodka.
3. Insist 2 weeks, occasionally shaking.
4. Strain the infusion.
5. Consume 30 drops 3 times a day half an hour before meals.
6. The course of treatment is 1 month.

Thrombophlebitis

• 100 g of vodka;
• 10 g chopped chestnuts.

Cooking

1. Pour the chestnut flour with vodka.
2. Remove to a dark place for 10 days.
3. Strain the infusion.
4. Use infused with water infusion of 30 drops per 60 ml of water before each meal.

Joint pain

• 50 g of chopped fruits;
• 0.5 l of vodka.

Cooking

1. Mix chestnut with vodka.
2. Insist 3 weeks.
3. Consume 3 times a day, 20 ml before meals.
4. Rub into sore joints.
5. The course of treatment is 1 month.

Gastritis

• 0.5 tbsp. l crushed chestnut bark;
• 400 g of water.

Cooking

1. Put water and bark into the pan.
2. Set 8 hours.
3. Boil it.
4. Strain.
5. Use during the day for 4 doses before meals.

Chestnut oil

• 15 g of chopped fruits;
• 150 g of olive oil (vegetable).

Cooking

1. Mix the oil with chestnut powder.
2. Insist 14 days.
3. Strain in a water bath for 3 hours.
4. Use 3 times a day, 10 ml diluted in 100 ml of warm water.
5. Lubricate diseased areas of the body.

Horse chestnut application in cosmetology

Through experiments, it has been proven that cosmetics based on chestnut extract help protect the skin from the oxidative effects of free radicals, slow down the aging process of the skin, strengthen the walls of skin capillaries, normalize microcirculation in the capillaries and blood vessels of the face, and soothe the skin.

In addition, shampoos based on chestnut extract affect the condition of the hair follicles and dermis of the scalp, helping to strengthen the hair and prevent hair loss.

Horse chestnut has UV protection and a moisturizing effect and therefore it is used as a component in sunblock creams. There are many remedies for anti-cellulite wraps, as it improves blood circulation.

Some foot creams contain plant extract, which is necessary to combat varicose veins and relieves swelling.

It is important to remember that cosmetics with chestnuts should be stored in tightly closed containers and in a cool place.

Chestnut has taken its rightful place in cosmetology. It is part of many creams, gels and shampoos. Horse chestnut masks and shampoos make hair strong, strong, shiny and supple.

The shampoo is quite light, quickly rinsed, promotes accelerated hair growth. Horse chestnut creams are also very popular. The medicine favorably affects the capillaries and blood vessels, which allows you to get rid of spider veins, hematomas and dark circles under the eyes.

The absorbable effect of chestnut is used in the fight against cellulite - it perfectly removes fluid from lymphoid tissues. Creams and masks based on horse chestnut rejuvenate and tone the skin, make it more supple and elastic, with constant use, the oval of the face is tightened.

Chestnut has bactericidal properties, therefore it is effectively used in the fight against acne, and even fungal infections of the scalp. It perfectly eliminates dandruff and protects against hair loss.

Chestnuts contraindications

Chestnut fruits have medicinal properties and applications have been widely used, but they have a number of contraindications.

Although chestnut nut is in demand, the use is not recommended for:

• hypertension
• menstrual irregularities;
• pregnancy
• diabetes mellitus;
• internal bleeding.

Fruits, inflorescences, leaves, chestnut bark are not recommended to be collected near roads, in areas with poor ecology (plants, landfills), in the city center. Chestnut, like all representatives of the flora, absorbs harmful substances from the environment, soil.

Eating nuts can cause serious damage to the body, because chestnut nuts benefit and harm are on a fine line. First of all, a nut will be harmful for overweight people.

Chestnuts calorie content is very high, therefore, to lose weight, you need to use their fruits carefully. They contain a large amount of starch, carbohydrates, so the product contributes to obesity and seriously stresses the cardiovascular system.

The nut causes serious harm to the body when abused or misused. Misuse is when horse (wild) chestnut is used for cooking. Due to the high concentration of tannins, horse chestnut can be the cause of serious poisoning.

Chestnut nuts than everyone should know what is useful, because this product is an excellent medicine and the prevention of many serious diseases. Before starting treatment, it is recommended to consult a doctor, because chestnut has a number of contraindications, which must be taken into account.