You can find chestnuts in the September-November period in California, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland and Michigan. The very first thing that comes to mind at the mention of chestnuts is autumn. The chestnut season is very short, you should hurry up to benefit from this fruit.
| State | Chestnuts in season |
|---|---|
| California | October till December |
| Delaware | mid-September |
| Iowa | mid-September till November |
| Kansas | mid-September till November |
| Maryland | October |
| Michigan | mid-September till October |
| Mississippi | mid-September till October |
Chestnut nutrition facts and health benefits
A distinctive feature of chestnut is that it contains less fat in comparison with walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and peanuts. Chestnut contains up to 60% starch, about 15% sugars, almost 6% protein, more than 2% fat; it contains minerals, fiber, vitamins A, C, and group B. It is not recommended to eat raw chestnuts due to their high tannins content.
All parts of the plant contain nutrients. Chestnut fruits contain biologically active substances, flavonoids, as well as pectins, oils, starch, tannins. The bark of the trunk and branches contains glycosides, tannins, and oils.
Chestnuts are used in the most diverse ways, such as treatments, infusions, decoctions or alcoholic tinctures. They are also used for hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart and vascular diseases, as well as the treatment and prevention of thrombosis and embolism.
How to eat chestnuts
Chestnuts can be not only baked or fried – they can be boiled, used in the preparation of cakes, pastries, ice cream, sweets, and other confectionery. Dry nuts are ground and added to wheat flour; in some countries, chestnuts have become the “second bread”. They are also used as a coffee substitute. Most often, chestnuts are used in preparing Christmas dishes.
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