In the article we discuss chestnut. You will learn chemical composition And medicinal properties nut We will tell you how to eat it during pregnancy and in children. By following our tips, you will learn how to grow chestnuts in your garden and at home.
Chestnut - deciduous tree of the Beech family (lat. Fagaceae), which reaches a height of 50 meters. Other names: real chestnut, noble chestnut, edible chestnut. The tree trunk reaches 2 meters in diameter. It is covered with thick furrowed bark dark brown.
The leaves are sharp-toothed and oblong-oval in shape. Light green in summer, turning bright yellow in autumn. Length sheet plate- up to 20 cm.
Chestnut flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences, up to 15 cm long. Most of them consist of staminate flowers. Pistillates are found only at the base of the inflorescence.
Wild chestnut begins to bear fruit from the age of 12-15 years, cultivated - from 4-10 years. In the first 5-8 years of life, the tree grows slowly. The chestnut bears fruit once every 2-3 years in September - October.
What does a chestnut look like?
The spherical chestnut fruits are surrounded by a plus, densely covered with long spines. At the ripening stage it is green, in mature fruits it is brown. Inside there are from 1 to 4 nuts. When ripe, the plush cracks and the fruits fall out freely.
The nut has a round or flattened shape. The surface of the fruit is smooth, dark brown in color. The diameter of the chestnut is from 3 to 6 cm.
Where does chestnut grow?
Chestnut prefers a warm climate, moist and slightly acidic soil. The plant does not tolerate drought and prolonged heat.
Chestnut grows on the Atlantic coast of the United States, East Asia, the Balkans and the Mediterranean coast. In Russia it is found in Crimea and Transcaucasia. In Europe, chestnut fruits grow to the size of a large tangerine, but in Armenia and Azerbaijan they rarely reach the size of a walnut.
How to distinguish edible chestnut
Don't be confused edible chestnut with horse chestnut, the nuts of which are not eaten. Plants differ in the shape of the leaf blade, the structure of the inflorescences and appearance fruits
The leaves of the edible chestnut are simple, elongated, with spines along the edges. U horse chestnut the leaves are serrated, smoother, collected in fan-shaped plates.
The inflorescences of the edible chestnut are long, narrow catkins. Horse chestnut has lush inflorescences, so it is often used as an ornamental plant.
The fruits of the edible chestnut are covered with brown needle-shaped plus and look like hedgehogs. The top of the horse chestnut is bright green, lumpy, with sparse thorns. Edible fruits have a characteristic powdery sweet taste, horse chestnut - bitter.
Chemical composition of chestnut
Chestnut contains:
- carbohydrates;
- proteins;
- fats;
- fiber;
- vitamin A;
- B vitamins;
- vitamin C;
- tannins;
- pectins;
- phosphorus;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- titanium;
- cobalt;
- fluorine;
- zinc.
Calorie content of chestnut
Calorie content of raw chestnut per 100 grams. is 166 kcal. Roasted nut contains 182 kcal per 100 g.
Useful properties of chestnut
The benefits of chestnut lie in its rich composition. Nuts have anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic and antitussive effects.
They are used for treatment colds. They quickly relieve painful coughs and cleanse the bronchi. Chestnuts are no less effective for the digestive system. They improve appetite and help with diarrhea. Nuts have a diuretic effect and normalize kidney function.
Chestnuts reduce arterial pressure, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, relieve varicose veins. Nuts have hemostatic and wound healing effect. They are used to restore skin after cuts or burns.
Uses of chestnut
Chestnuts are used in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory, nervous, digestive systems. Nuts effectively cope with gout, arthritis, and radiculitis. For treatment, use whole fruits, and also make compresses with nut mass.
Chestnuts are used in cooking for making soups, side dishes and desserts. Chestnut dishes are very popular in Europe.
The favorite dessert of Europeans is chestnuts in chocolate syrup.
How to cook chestnuts
Raw chestnuts can be prepared in two ways: boiled or fried. The main rule is that before cooking, nuts must be freed from their shells and inner film. If this is not done, the fruits will become bitter.
To peel the nuts, cuts are made on them, after which the chestnuts are boiled in boiling water for 5 minutes, removed from the heat, covered with a lid and left for another 15 minutes. Then peel the nuts while they are warm.
To bring the peeled nuts to readiness, cook them over medium heat for 15 minutes or fry them in a frying pan with a lid on both sides. In the oven, cooking time for nuts takes 20-25 minutes.
Chestnuts are low in fat and are used in dietetics to reduce excess weight. It gets rid of cellulite, relieves swelling and improves blood microcirculation.
Nut oil is added to anti-cellulite creams and lotions. From the fruits and flowers of the plant, tinctures are made for oral administration, which also help with weight loss.
Chestnut for children
Official medicine does not give clear recommendations regarding the time for including chestnuts in children's diets. Pediatricians do not recommend introducing nuts before 4-5 years of age. Doctors believe that until this age, chestnut puts a strong strain on digestive system baby, can cause constipation and bloating.
It is best to give your child not a raw nut, but a boiled one in the form of a paste. For example, you can mix it with mashed potatoes or add it to soup.
Chestnut during pregnancy
Chestnuts help cope with sudden mood swings, protect against stress and depression, which is especially important during pregnancy. Nuts normalize blood pressure and sleep, strengthen bones and teeth. They contain a large number of fiber, which is good for digestion.
Chestnuts enhance production breast milk during lactation. The composition, rich in vitamins and minerals, improves the quality of milk. Consult your doctor before eating nuts.
Chestnut jam
Chestnut jam is often used in cooking, both in its pure form and for making baked goods and desserts. This product can be stored for about six months. To extend the shelf life, the jam is rolled into sterile jars or frozen.
You will need:
- peeled chestnuts - 500 g;
- sugar - 500 g;
- water - 350 ml;
- rum - 20 ml.
How to cook:
- Grind the prepared peeled nuts into crumbs using a sieve.
- Pour water into a saucepan, put on fire, add sugar, then stir until completely dissolved.
- Add the chopped chestnuts and stir occasionally to prevent them from burning for 20-30 minutes.
- As soon as the jam thickens and becomes rich Brown color, add rum, stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and pour into jars.
Calories:
Calorie content 100 gr. chestnut jam - 392 kcal.
Chestnut honey
Chestnut honey has many beneficial properties. It's powerful natural antibiotic. It is consumed internally and used for external treatment of wounds, cuts and burns. The product has an anti-inflammatory effect.
It is often used to treat diseases respiratory tract and genitourinary system. Chestnut honey improves appetite and normalizes digestion. The product is indispensable in autumn and spring; it strengthens the immune system and helps resist viral diseases.
Contraindications and restrictions
Contraindications for eating chestnut:
- renal failure;
- stomach bleeding;
- menstrual irregularities;
- diabetes;
- individual intolerance.
The daily intake of chestnuts is 40 grams. Overeating nuts leads to digestive disorders: bloating, a feeling of heaviness and constipation.
How to grow chestnut from a nut
Chestnuts can be grown in a garden plot or at home. To begin with, ripened fruits are collected in the fall. They must be intact, without damage.
In order to grow a chestnut in the country, it is enough to plant several nuts in the fall at a distance of 10 cm from each other, at a depth of 5 cm. In the spring, the plant will sprout.
To grow a chestnut at home, it first needs to be provided with “winter sleep.” The collected nuts are stored on the balcony until frost, then placed in a container with soil and put in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf for the whole winter. At the end of February they are transferred to pots with soil and placed on the windowsill.
The plant is watered periodically, and after 1-2 months it sprouts. In order for a tree to grow at home, it is necessary to periodically trim the roots, since by the year they grow significantly.
Beautiful tall tree with a spreading crown and edible fruits - this is a chestnut, rare guest on our personal plots. Many believe that its fruits bring good luck; its branches can cleanse the house of negative energy, and the tree itself will become the highlight garden composition. Whether this is true or not is up to you to decide. If thoughts about planting this giant come to your mind regularly, we advise you to learn more not only about what a chestnut looks like, but also about the features of its cultivation.
Popular tree types
Chestnut is the common name for beautiful, spreading trees that can often be seen in city parks. They have a slender trunk and a spreading crown with large and beautiful leaves. At the beginning of summer, chestnuts begin to bloom - their branches are covered with beautiful white or pale pink flowers.
The fruits are also interesting- chestnut of many types has edible and very useful green spiky boxes that contain several seeds. The gifts of the tree help the functioning of the circulatory system and clear stagnation of venous blood. The pulp is used not only internally, but also externally - it has an anti-inflammatory and, in addition, an analgesic effect.
In nature, chestnuts can be found in the south, less often - middle lane forests or wooded slopes of Europe and the CIS. Selected varieties grow in the Caucasus and Asia.
Choosing a variety for a summer cottage
Before you start growing such beautiful trees, you need to understand what variety you want to see in your lands. Horse chestnut has become widespread in our country - it can be seen almost everywhere, and the fruits of the tree for propagation are easier to obtain. However, there are more interesting options. Let's get to know them better.
Chestnut tree - description of varieties, suitable for our summer cottages:
It should be borne in mind that the bark of these trees actively absorbs and accumulates heavy metals.
How to grow chestnut?
If you are ready to plant such a majestic plant on your site, then you should start by choosing future seedlings. You can get sprouts in the following ways:
Growing chestnuts from nuts
If you want to grow a seedling from fallen fruits, then choose the most beautiful and healthy ones looks like it has a tough skin. Picking chestnuts from a tree future landing ineffective. If you plan to grow only a couple of seedlings, collect more nuts from the ground - about five. It is not a fact that each of them will germinate quickly.
Rules for autumn and spring planting
As soon as you have collected the fruits - the chestnut loses them in the fall, they immediately need to be prepared for planting. Few nuts survive until spring, for such long term they become dry and it is very difficult to grow strong shoots.
After the autumn harvest nuts are kept in the cold for about a week, and then they are planted in the ground where they want to see a large and spreading tree, and wait for spring. The depth of the hole should be 2–3 times the diameter of the fruit. In this case, you can rely on the mercy of nature, however, you can also work a little to plant the sprouts in the spring open ground, for this, the seeds will have to be subjected to forced stratification.
Before spring planting, the seeds should be stored in the refrigerator or basement, sprinkled with sand. You can also place a container with seeds under the snow. At the beginning of spring, before direct planting, they are soaked for 5 days in water, which is changed regularly. The swollen fruits are transplanted into moist soil.
Another option spring planting - plant a nut in flower pot medium size (300–500 ml) with any type of soil, can also be planted in soil with summer cottage. It is recommended to plant a chestnut seed at a depth of 3–5 cm in moist soil. The first sprout should appear 2–3 weeks after planting. In six months it will grow into a strong seedling, which will quickly grow into a large tree.
Many people choose the spring growing method, as it allows them to obtain strong seedlings with a high germination rate. Autumn planting is dangerous because not all seeds are able to survive the winter, even under snow.
Chestnut seedlings are transplanted into open ground at the moment when is installed warm weather
and the threat of night frosts disappears. When planting several seedlings, you should take into account the fact that they grow in huge trees, so the distance must be maintained at least 3–5 meters. The soil is preferably chernozem; chestnut seedlings grow poorly in heavy clay soil. When choosing a place, you should make sure that the growing tree is not exposed to the rays of the scorching sun, but an area that is too shaded is not suitable.
A hole must be dug in the shape of a cube 0.5 meters deep. The bottom layer is drainage, which can be sand, pebbles, sand or crushed stone. The soil from the pit should be mixed with sand and humus, and a little slaked lime and phosphate-potassium fertilizers should be added as recharge. Recommended to add dolomite flour if the soil is acidic.
Before planting a chestnut in the ground for germination, it is necessary to arrange a hardening procedure for it - take the seedling outside for two weeks. Fresh air. The sprouted seed is placed in the hole in such a way that root collar ended up at ground level. The seedling is installed, covered with soil and watered abundantly. Good watering includes use of three buckets of water. In order for the plant to take root well, it is advisable to cover it with a paper bag.
It is not difficult to care for a plant such as a chestnut (tree) - planting and care are quite simple even for novice gardeners.
The young bush is watered regularly, since its root system is quite weak, no watering will be required in the future. It should be remembered that chestnut does not tolerate waterlogged soil, which is why it requires a high-quality drainage layer. Before watering, make sure the soil is really dry. Optimal mode watering - a couple of buckets of water every 4-5 weeks in the evening.
The wood of a young tree is quite fragile, it can suffer from strong wind. Therefore, when the weather worsens, it is advisable to tie it to a wooden peg.
It is worth preparing for the fact that beautiful tree with a rich and lush crown will grow up very, very slowly. At the end of the second year of cultivation, the seedling will have increased by only twenty centimeters. And by the end of the fifth year, you will be able to admire a 1.5-meter shoot. Beautiful crown will begin its formation by the beginning of the tenth year of life. Therefore, it is at the age of ten years that the seedlings are ready for full growth in open ground.
Fertilizers
In order for the chestnut to bear many healthy and tasty fruits and bloom regularly, it is necessary feed the seedling twice a year:
- In spring, watering with the addition of urea is required (calculated at 15 g of powder per 10 l clean water) or a simpler feeding with mullein.
- In the autumn, care must be taken to add nitroammophoska to the water (in the same amount).
Crown formation
Proper care of branches and regular formation of the crown- the key to beautiful and healthy tree with many fruits and beautiful flowers. In the first spring after planting side shoots they are shortened by half, and the upper shoots, which traditionally appear in the summer, are left. On next year shortened branches are removed, repeating this work annually until the bush grows to the desired height. After this, five main side trunks are determined that will form the lower tier.
For a three-year-old seedling, you can begin to trim the branches and form a crown. This is a regular activity that is usually scheduled for the spring. Remove weak, damaged branches and branches that have grown inside the crown. Also, the height of the plant is reduced by pruning by about a quarter, cutting off the central trunk. The side branches are only trimmed a little.
In the summer, you can remove excess young shoots; fresh cuts can be filled with garden varnish.
Many gardeners are interested when the chestnut tree blooms. First beautiful flowers begin to bloom after the ten-year mark, but some varieties may take longer. To bloom buds, chestnut requires a temperature of 15–18 degrees for several days.
Wintering of seedlings
Despite the fact that chestnuts are quite frost-resistant, during the first five years they must be carefully prepared for the onset of frost. To do this, the soil around the trunk is mulched with peat or fallen leaves in a layer 20 centimeters thick. The trunks themselves are wrapped in several layers of burlap.
If in the spring, when inspecting trees, bark is noticeable, cracked due to severe frosts, then she needs to be treated. Damaged areas are lubricated with antiseptics and watered with garden varnish.
Chestnut diseases
In order for the chestnut to please the eye, it is necessary to regularly preventive actions to protect it from diseases and pests. This plant is quite resistant to various diseases, however, they are not excluded.
Main diseases of chestnut:
Chestnut is a tree reaching 30 meters in height, with a beautiful spreading crown. The leaves of the tree are located in the opposite direction; on the existing long petioles they also have 7 sessile leaves. These leaves are short and have denticles. Pale pink or white flowers are collected in cone-shaped inflorescences. The inflorescence consists of more staminate flowers rather than pistillate flowers.
Chestnut fruits are round green spiky boxes, which during ripening open into 3 wings and nuts fall to the ground. There are several seeds inside the fruit. The seeds are large, slightly flattened, covered with a dark brown skin. Chestnut flowering begins in May, and fruit ripening occurs in early to mid-autumn.
Most chestnut grows in the south and in the middle zone of the European part of the CIS. The Caucasus and Central Asia are also places where chestnut grows. The plant is found in forests and on slopes.
Growing and caring for chestnuts
Chestnut is propagated by seed method. The seeds are sown in the spring, since if the seeds are sown in the fall, they can be damaged by mice. The end of April - the beginning of May is best time for sowing chestnut seeds. Chestnut seedlings grow very slowly in the first years, so it will take 10–15 years before a beautiful and large tree grows. At this age, the plant tolerates transplanting very well with a clod of earth. And at the age of 8–10 years, chestnut can be planted without a clod of soil. The main thing is to dig up the chestnut well and preserve it root system. The plant also needs to be watered abundantly. Chestnuts should be planted in a mixture of soils and namely, mix turf and leaf soil together with sand. In the spring it is necessary to apply fertilizers consisting of urea and mullein.
Chestnut is a moisture-loving tree, so it should be watered regularly, and if the summer is dry, then watering should be done even more abundantly. When the soil is weeded, it must be loosened. The circle around the tree trunk must be mulched with peat. As the tree grows, it must be freed from dry branches. Before the start of winter, young seedlings need shelter with fallen leaves.
Useful properties of chestnut
Chestnut has many beneficial substances, which is why it is so widely used in folk medicine. beneficial features used for stagnation of venous blood. Chestnut fruits contain biologically active substances, tannins, pectins, flavonoids and oils. Thanks to these components, the permeability of blood capillaries decreases and blood viscosity decreases. Chestnut preparations increase the tone of the veins, so they are used for varicose veins veins, thrombophlebitis, leg ulcer and post-thrombotic state.
Preparations based on chestnut fruits have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect on the human body. Chestnut is used not only internally, but also as a means for external use.
Uses of chestnut
In many countries, chestnut is used in folk medicine. Chestnut infusion and decoction have hemostatic and analgesic properties. A decoction of chestnut bark is used as a remedy for internal or external use in the treatment of hemorrhoids, inflammation and chronic intestinal diseases. Juice from chestnut flowers helps in the treatment of thrombophlebitis, hemorrhoids and atherosclerosis. A decoction of chestnut skins is used for uterine bleeding.
An infusion of chestnut bark is used in the treatment of various rheumatic ailments, enlarged leg veins, and wounds that do not heal for a long time. A decoction made from dry nuts is used for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Fresh leaves Chestnuts help cure whooping cough.
Chestnut bark and fruit can be used for swelling and nosebleeds. Chestnut decoction is used internally and externally. For example, the decoction is used externally as a poultice for the treatment of abscesses and boils.
Recipes for using chestnuts
Traditional medicine uses chestnut in the form of decoctions, infusions, tinctures and fresh juice.
Medicines for vascular disease. Can be accepted Fresh Juice, squeezed from chestnut flowers. Take 20-30 drops, diluting them with a tablespoon of water in advance. There is no need to drink chestnut juice more than twice a day.
Chestnut flower tincture also helps with this disease. To prepare it, you need to take 10 grams of dried chestnut flowers and pour 250 ml of vodka over them, then leave to brew for 7 days. The finished tincture is rubbed into sore joints.
You can take a bath with a decoction of chestnut fruits. Taking 500 grams of crushed chestnut fruits (powder), fill them with 2.5 liters of water and put on fire for half an hour. After straining the finished broth, pour it into the bath.
Chestnut tincture for varicose veins. Take 50 grams of chestnut flowers and pour 500 ml of vodka over them. Leave to brew for 2 weeks in a dark place. Do not forget to shake the tincture sometimes. After straining the tincture, drink 30 drops three times a day before meals (20 minutes before). This treatment needs to be carried out for about a month. In addition to internal use, you should use ointment for external use.
Chestnut ointment for varicose veins. To prepare it, take 25 grams of chestnut fruit powder, 5 grams of chamomile flower powder, 5 grams of sage flowers and leaves. Add 2.5 grams to this mixture potato starch and pour in 100 grams of hot chicken fat. Let's put everything on water bath for 2–2.5 hours. Remove from the bath and leave to brew for 12 hours. Then put everything back in the water bath and bring to a boil. After heating, filter the mixture and cool. The prepared ointment should be lubricated on sore areas 2-3 times a day.
Ointment for radiculitis. Mix in equal amount chestnut fruit powder, camphor oil(pork fat) and spread on a slice of black bread. Apply this slice to the sore spot and do not remove for 3 hours.
Contraindications to the use of chestnut
So far, medicine has not identified any contraindications to the use of chestnut preparations. However, before using them, you should consult a doctor.
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Horse chestnut family (Hippocastanaceae).
Parts used. Bark, leaves, flowers.
Botanical description. Horse chestnut is beautiful, especially during flowering, when its large paniculate inflorescences give the tree an elegant, festive look.
Horse chestnut - (Aesculus hippocastanum) is a deciduous tree, reaching a height of 30 m, with a trunk diameter of up to 1.5 m. The bark of horse chestnut is light brown, lamellar. The leaves are large, long-petiolate, palmately compound, with 5-7 leaflets, sessile, obovate, with a wedge-shaped base and a pointed apex; The leaves are serrate, glabrous above, and covered with soft hairs along the veins below. The flowers are white, large, irregular (zygomorphic), with yellow and then pinkish or reddening spots at the base of the petals. At the beginning of flowering they contain the maximum amount of nectar. It is at this time that they are visited by sweet tooth lovers - bees and butterflies. Horse chestnut blooms in May. The fruit is a capsule covered with thorns, usually cracking into three leaves; inside is large seed, up to 2-3 cm, in a hard leathery dark brown peel. The tree bears fruit from 15-20 years old and lives up to 350 years. The fruits have some similarities with the fruits of the edible chestnut, but are inedible, which is why this tree was called horse chestnut.
IN natural conditions grows in the south of the Balkan Peninsula (Greece, Bulgaria) at an altitude of up to 1200 m above sea level. In culture it is widespread not only in the subtropical, but also in temperate zone Northern Hemisphere, in areas with a humid and warm climate. In Russia it can grow to the latitude of St. Petersburg. Wonderful decorative park culture.
Collection and preparation. To prepare medicines, the bark of young branches, leaves, flowers and fruits are harvested. The bark is collected during sap flow from 3-5 year old branches, cut into pieces and dried immediately after collection. outdoors. Flowers are harvested in May. They are plucked from the inflorescences and dried in the sun on the first day, and then under a canopy in the open air. The leaves are collected in late June - early July, without cuttings, spread in a thin layer under a canopy or in a well-ventilated room. This type of raw material is exported. The fruits are harvested at their full maturity, when they fall out of the valves. Collected by hand and dried in dryers at a temperature of 50-60°C.
Pharmacological properties. It has been experimentally established that the alcoholic extract of the fruit has anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous properties, reduces blood viscosity, strengthens capillary walls, lowers blood pressure, normalizes cholesterol and lecithin in the blood, and reduces the formation of fatty plaques in the aorta. The extract is also known to constrict blood vessels and have an analgesic effect. Typically, ready-made pharmaceutical preparations aescusan and esflazide are used.
Active ingredients. The seeds contained in the fruits include coumarin glycosides, triternene saponin escin, fatty oil (up to 5-7%), protein substances (up to 10%), starch (up to 50%), tannins (about 1%). Glycosides, tannins, sugars, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and other compounds were found in the bark. The leaves contain glycosides, pectin substances and carotenoids. Flowers are rich in flavonoids, tannins, pectin substances and mucus.
Application. All parts of horse chestnut contain healing substances, which is why it is used in both scientific and folk medicine. Herbal preparations of horse chestnut are also widely used in folk medicine: the juice of the flowers is drunk for varicose veins (thrombophlebitis), atherosclerosis and hemorrhoids. Flower juice preserved with alcohol and tincture of flowers or fruits are useful for thrombophlebitis and hemorrhoids; fruit infusion - for diarrhea (diarrhea), malaria and chronic bronchitis in smokers. A decoction of the skin of the fruit is used for uterine bleeding. Freshly crushed leaves and fruit tincture are also used externally
Juice of flowers. 25-30 drops 2 times a day; juice preserved with alcohol in a ratio of 1:2, 30-40 ml three times a day.
Decoction of leaves and fruits: pour 1 cup of boiling water over 5 g of crushed raw materials, boil in enamel dishes in a water bath for 30 minutes, strain and add boiled water to the original volume. Take 1 tbsp in the first 2 days. 1 time a day, in subsequent (if well tolerated) - 1 tbsp. l. 2-3 times a day after meals. For inflammation of the veins of the extremities, the course of treatment is from 2 to 8 weeks, but not more than 12. For hemorrhoids - 1-4 weeks.
Alcohol extract from fruits (external). 2 parts of fruit are poured with 1 part of vodka. They insist for 15 days. Lubricate the affected areas and varicose dermatitis.
The fruits are used to obtain technical starch and produce printing glue. Excellent feed for pigs and deer.
More than half of the world's edible chestnut crop is eaten by the Chinese. The French prefer to fry the fruits and have a real national holiday. Chestnuts are not grown in Russia, but they can be found in large supermarkets.
Distinctive features of edible and inedible chestnut
Chestnut trees are characterized by the beauty and lushness of their crowns. There are two types of chestnuts: horse and noble. Horse chestnut is poisonous, but has medicinal properties, therefore widely used in medicine and cosmetology. The noble chestnut is edible, also very tasty and healthy for the body.
Despite some external similarities between these two species, they belong to different families. Thus, the edible chestnut belongs to the beech family, and its poisonous but medicinal “brother” belongs to the horse-chestnut family.
These two types of chestnut trees can be distinguished by the following indicators:
Height
The horse variety is much shorter than the tree with edible fruits. Depending on the species, noble chestnut can grow up to 35 m.
Foliage
The inedible species is characterized by the fact that the fruits grow in fives, while in the edible analogue they are located one behind the other on one branch.
Character of flowering
Horse chestnuts are distinguished by the beauty and splendor of each crown. The edible analogue is not so aesthetically pleasing and attractive, so you can walk past it and not notice it.
Nucleolar size
The fruits of the edible chestnut tree are slightly smaller than those of the horse chestnut tree. But here you can get confused, since all the fruits poisonous tree different in size.
Coating and cleaning method
The horse chestnut has an outer shell covered with sparse spines that can be easily removed. The edible fruit is covered with spines like a hedgehog, and the peel is difficult to peel off.
Where do edible chestnuts grow?
These trees prefer open spaces with access to the sun, fertile soil And high humidity air. It does not tolerate this type of drought, extreme heat, or frost. 
Thus, they bloom and bear fruit profusely in the European region, the Caucasus, Asia and North America. Of the 30 different species of chestnut trees, only a few species bear fruit.
The most common is the European chestnut, which can live in one place for up to half a century, in natural conditions and even more. The Chinese softest chestnut is not tall (up to 15 m), but is distinguished by its unsurpassed taste, therefore it is widely used for cooking. In Japan, about 100 varieties of different chestnut trees have been bred, which are distinguished by large and tasty fruits.
At what time of year do chestnuts ripen and bear fruit?
The flowering of the edible chestnut begins in early summer and continues throughout June. In some coastal regions, which are rich in warmth and sunlight, you can observe the secondary flowering of these trees in autumn-winter period. The flowers attract many bees, and chestnut honey has a specific bitter taste and a pronounced aroma.
A tree with edible chestnuts begins to bear fruit within 3-5 years after planting.
Massive fruiting is observed when the tree reaches fifteen years of age, after which fruits appear every year and in large quantities. The fruits ripen and can be eaten in mid- and late autumn. Chestnuts fall off within two weeks with skins that crack when exposed to sunlight.
All edible fruits can be divided into the following categories:
- Large (about 8 g)
- Medium (up to 5 g)
- Small (up to 3.6 g)
- Ultra fine (up to 2.6 g)
Large and medium-sized fruits are popular on the farm. On average, from 100 to 400 kg are collected from 1 hectare. The number of fruits depends primarily on the conditions in which the tree grows. For example, in artificial nurseries a tree can produce up to 50 kg of chestnuts, and in natural conditions up to 300 kg. Although most of it is taken away by wild animals and small rodents.
How to properly prepare edible chestnuts?
You can prepare many dishes and desserts from chestnuts. Some experienced European chefs even make chestnut flour, which, when baked, gives a refined and unique taste to the dish. Thanks to its fat content and protein, dough made from this flour rises faster and looks fluffier than dough made from wheat flour. The increased sugar content gives it a natural golden crust. 
Raw chestnuts are rarely eaten, only when fully ripe. They are much tastier if you boil them and add them, for example, to mashed potatoes, or bake them in the oven. The baked fruits have a nutty flavor. Boiled chestnuts are great for meat or poultry. You can also preserve them for the winter, make aromatic jam from them, and add them to salads with seafood or vegetables.
You can check the freshness of chestnuts when cooking. All chestnuts that float when immersed in water are considered stale, because the fresh fruit settles at the bottom of the dish.
Recipe for stewed vegetables with roasted chestnuts:
Compound:
- raw chestnuts - 500 gr
- cherry tomatoes - 300 gr
- garlic - 2 cloves
- ginger root - a piece measuring 3x3 cm
- olive oil - 5 tbsp. spoons
- pepper and salt - to taste
Preparation:
- Cook chestnuts for 20 minutes
- Peel and cut into small pieces
- Fry on olive oil 3 min
- Add the tomatoes cut into 4 pieces and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Add chopped garlic, ginger root, pepper, salt and simmer for another 10 minutes.
The dish turns out to be a little spicy, but all the products are harmoniously combined with each other taste qualities. This dish can be eaten separately or served with pasta, meat or mashed potatoes.
The benefits and harms of edible chestnuts
Chestnut kernels contain a large amount of vitamins C, B and E. They are also a kind of natural energy drink, containing vegetable protein, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. The composition also contains folic acid and tannins.
Due to the fact that the kernels are rich in carbohydrates, even though there are fewer of them than in walnuts, they don't count dietary nutrition. Therefore, people who are prone to obesity should limit the amount they eat.
Positive Action edible chestnuts on the body:
- Due to the presence of many vitamins and microelements, they have a beneficial effect on all organs;
- 2-3 cores can satisfy the feeling of hunger, malaise or fatigue;
- A small amount of fat, but a lot of carbohydrates - this diet is suitable for athletes before and after training to build muscle mass;
- An excellent side dish for any dish to give it a unique taste and aroma;
- Active diuretic, which thus cleanses and removes harmful substances from the body.
This product along with the positive and healing properties has a number of contraindications.
- Diabetics (due to the increased sugar content in the kernels);
- For allergy sufferers (they, like a powerful energy drink, can cause allergic manifestations in hypersensitive people);
- Ulcers (especially during acute periods and open wounds in the stomach);
- Hypotonics (since fruits lower blood pressure);
- Nursing mothers (but during pregnancy it is possible due to the presence of folic acid For normal development fetus);
- People with heart disease (almost 60% of the composition is starch and carbohydrates, which is an additional burden on the heart);
- Children under 5 years old.
Chestnut fruits in general are quite heavy food for the stomach. Overeating or improper preparation can lead to diarrhea.
How to grow edible chestnut? (step-by-step instruction)
Chestnut can be grown from seeds and seedlings. It is also worth knowing that nothing else will grow under the trees due to the large foliage and root system. Therefore, the seedling is allocated up to 4 m free space around. One-year or two-year-old seedlings are chosen for planting.
Option one - planting seedlings:
Step 1. A hole of 50x50 cm is dug. The extracted soil is mixed with sand and humus, and then added slaked lime and various fertilizers.
Step 2. The bottom of the hole is covered with a drainage layer of up to 15 cm (crushed stone or sand), then a little soil and the whole thing is filled with water.
Step 3. The seedling is planted, covered with soil 20 cm above ground level, compacted a little and filled with water again.
Step 4. TO young seedling a wooden peg is attached, which can protect the young tree from sharp gusts of wind.
Option two - planting seeds:
Step 1. The nucleoli are collected in autumn or spring. Place them in a box with sand and place them in a cold place (refrigerator) for 2 weeks.
Step 2. Beds up to 8 cm deep are dug out and filled with water. Seeds are inserted into the soil at a distance of 15 cm from each other.
Step 3. The seeds are covered not with soil, but with leaves and wait out the winter in this state. In spring you can already see young and sprouted seedlings up to 30 cm.
Chestnut is long-lived and thrives in conditions where the temperature does not drop below -15 degrees. Some varieties that are more acclimatized can withstand frost down to -28 degrees.
You can learn more about chestnuts from the following video:
Summarizing the above, we can say that noble chestnut is truly a storehouse of vitamins and microelements. It brings more benefit to the body than harm. But when using it, you should take precautions.
Also, knowing the features and external manifestations edible type it can be easily distinguished from its poisonous equine counterpart.
Growing such a “storehouse of vitamins” is quite easy and simple, of course, if the climate allows it, and in just a couple of years you can harvest the crops and prepare truly exquisite and unique dishes.
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