In this article, we give you 10 reasons why you should include chestnuts in your diet. We will see 10 benefits of chestnuts according to science.
What are chestnuts?
The chestnut is the fruit of the chestnut tree. There are various types of chestnut trees in the world with more or less different characteristics, but we commonly refer to the European or Castanea sativa Mill (1).
Those populations with a typical Mediterranean diet, characterized by low meat consumption and high consumption of fish, fruits, and vegetables, and which have nuts as valuable components, show lower mortality rates from coronary disease and cancer (2,3).
As various authors comment, chestnuts are one of the nuts with the highest content of antioxidants along with walnuts.
In recent years, consumers have shown greater interest in these fruits of the chestnut tree due to their nutritional qualities and their possible health benefits of chestnuts.
In fact, as we will see in this article, chestnuts are also rich in carbohydrates and are a good source of essential fatty acids. They also present vitamins and optimal levels of fiber.
What are the benefits of chestnuts?
Next, we will analyze the main benefits of chestnuts.
Source of energy
One of the main benefits of chestnuts is the energy they provide us.
Most nuts are characterized by providing a large amount of healthy fats. However, the main nutrient of the chestnut is complex carbohydrates (47%).
The body digests complex carbohydrates slowly, thus obtaining a stable energy source, making chestnuts a magnificent snack option for athletes (4).
Satiating
Another of the benefits of chestnuts is their great satiating power.
Complex carbohydrates are transformed into glucose slowly, which causes less insulin secretion and, therefore, a reduction in the perception of appetite, creating a feeling of satiety (5).
Low in calories
Chestnuts have a low fat content (approximately 2%) while other nuts usually exceed 50% fat content. Additionally, the water content of the chestnut accounts for almost half of its weight.
This peculiar composition makes the chestnut one of the least caloric nuts, providing 190 to 209 kcal per gram of edible portion (1).
Source of essential fatty acids
Another of the benefits of chestnuts is that they are an excellent source of essential fatty acids.
Although the chestnut provides a low fat content compared to other nuts, it is characterized by a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids and can also be considered an important source of the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic.
In the study conducted by Astorga and collaborators in 2011, the fatty acid profile of the chestnut was analyzed and ordered as follows: linoleic acid>oleic acid>palmitic acid>linolenic acid.
These acids were the main organic fatty acids found in the chestnut and represented more than 90% of the total. This fatty acid profile plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (3).
Ideal for combating constipation
Another of the benefits of chestnuts is their high fiber content (7%), mostly insoluble.
Insoluble fiber is characterized by being able to retain water in its structural matrix, forming low-viscosity mixtures. This increases fecal mass, accelerating intestinal transit (6, 7).
Gluten free
Chestnuts and products derived from them do not contain gluten, so their consumption is suitable for celiacs (6).
Vitamin C supply
Another of the benefits of chestnuts is their good supply of Vitamin C. The chestnut is the nut that offers the most vitamin C. 100 grams of chestnut contain 17-25% of this vitamin (8).
L-ascorbic acid or vitamin C is an electron donor that contributes to the prevention of oxidative damage.
This mechanism is beneficial in human diseases such as atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Additionally, this vitamin is essential for the biosynthesis of L-carnitine and collagen.
Another benefit attributed to vitamin C is that it increases iron absorption in the intestine by reducing the ferric state to ferrous (9).
Recommended in conditions of renal insufficiency
When the kidney does not satisfactorily fulfill its function, there is, among other things, an accumulation of acidic substances in the blood, including uric acid and urea.
Another benefit of chestnuts is related to renal insufficiency.
The chestnut is a recommended food for those suffering from renal insufficiency due to its alkalizing effect on the body, largely due to its water and potassium content.
This can partially compensate for the excess acid in the blood. Additionally, it contains few proteins in relation to the high energy it provides, which is favorable in cases of renal insufficiency (8).
”Natural galactagogue”
As a curiosity, the chestnut is considered a natural galactagogue in complementary and alternative medicine.
Galactagogues are foods or infusions that are traditionally believed to have the ability to naturally stimulate prolactin, potentially increasing breast milk production.
However, we currently do not have rigorous studies that support their efficiency in this regard (10, 11).
It’s chestnut season!
This fruit is an icon of autumn, and we cannot forget the multiple benefits of chestnuts.
Street vendors colonize the streets, and their aroma fills towns and cities. This fruit begins its harvest in October and extends into winter.
As we see, the benefits of chestnuts are many, and they become an excellent food with good levels of healthy fats and essential Omega 3 and 6 acids, which have a cardioprotective function.
Additionally, among the benefits of chestnuts, some studies suggest that chestnuts have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Therefore, this helps them prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Nutritionally, for every 100 grams of chestnuts, 40 grams are water, 40 grams are carbohydrates, 5 grams are fats, and 3-4 grams are proteins. They also have a high fiber content: 7 grams.
It is also very significant among the benefits of chestnuts, their content of B group vitamins (B1, B2, B3, and B6) and mineral salts, especially calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
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Bibliographic references
- Borges, O., Goncalves, B., Soreiro, J., Correia, P., and Silva, A. (2008). Nutritional quality of chestnut cultivars Benefits of chestnuts (Castanea sativa Mill) from Portugal. Food Chemistry, 106(3), 976-984.
- Martinez, J., and Villarino, A. (2014). Mediterranean diet. Advances in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics.
- Astorga, E., Rodríguez, B., Díaz, C., and Rodríguez, E. (2011). Fatty acid profile in chestnut varieties from Tenerife (Spain). CyTA-Journal of Food, 9(1), 77-81.
- Roberts, S. (2003). Glycemic index and satiety. Nutrition in clinical care: an official publication of Tufts University, 6(1), 20-26
- Candido, R., Barboza, S., Rogerio A., Mota, G., and Mendes E. (2017). A high complex carbohydrate diet minimizes the need for supplementation during training in the sport of rugby: focus on the immune system. Revista Brasileira de Ciencias do Esporte, 39(1), 85-90.
- Pérez, L., Hernández, M., Díaz, C., and Rodríguez, E. (2006). Chemical composition of local chestnut cultivars from Tenerife: I. Chemical composition and antioxidant content. CyTA-Journal of Food, 5(1), 105-205.
- Escudero, E., and González, P. (2006). Dietary fiber. Nutrición hospitalaria, 21, 61-72.
- Roger, J. (1995). Foods that heal.
- Mauro-Martín, S., and Garciano-Vilar, E. (2015). Role of vitamin C and ß-glucans on the immune system: review. Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética. 19(4), 238-245.
- Romano-Santos, E., Fernández-González, B., Diez-Soro, L., and Martínez-Bonafont, S. (2009). What do we know about galactagogues?. Matronas profesion, 10(4), 27-30.
- Srinivas, R., Eagappan, K., Sasikumar, S. (2014). The effect of naturally formulated galactogogue mix on breast milk production, prolactin level and short-term catch-up of birth weight in the first week of life. IJHSR, 4(10), 242-253.