Yahoo Lifestyle Chestnuts are the versatile, nutritious snack you need more of
As we head into the winter months, there’s no better time to enjoy chestnuts as a sweet, roasted treat, or a flavor-enhancing ingredient in hearty soups and stuffing.
Chestnuts are incredibly nutrient-dense. They have a distinct nutritional profile that differs from most other nuts: they’re rich in antioxidants, and low in calories and fat.
In the context of a balanced diet, it’s no secret that chestnuts can offer immense benefits for your health. But, do they lose their nutrients once cooked? To answer all of your chestnut FAQs, we asked the experts to break down everything you need to know.
How many chestnuts should you eat a day?
Chestnuts are considered to be a nutritious, low calorie snack option. A typical one ounce serving of chestnuts is 70 calories, which is roughly equivalent to eating a piece of fruit, says Emily Wilcox Gier, a registered dietitian and associate professor of Practice and Dietetic Internship Director, Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University.
Chestnuts can be enjoyed either raw or cooked — the biggest difference between the two is their flavor profile, says Wilcox Gier. If you consume chestnuts raw, you may find them to be a little bitter (this is because chestnuts contain tannic acid). Roasting or boiling chestnuts brings out their sweetness, and it can also make them a little bit softer and easier to digest, she says.
Are chestnuts good for you?
“Chestnuts are interesting, because they're different from other nuts nutritionally,” Wicox Gier says. An ounce of chestnuts has a very low caloric content in comparison to other nuts. They’re also relatively low in fat, she says.
Perhaps one of the most surprising benefits of chestnuts is that they have a rich antioxidant profile. Chestnuts are rich in vitamin C, says Dave Bridges, an associate professor of Nutritional Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan.
From a single serving of chestnuts, you can reach 11% of your vitamin C daily requirement, says Bridges. Chestnuts are also an excellent source of polyphenols such as gallic acid and ellagic acid, he adds. These antioxidants are integral for fighting free radicals, and reducing inflammation in the body, per Healthline.
Chestnuts contain 1.5 grams of fiber per serving, says Bridges. Eating chestnuts can be beneficial to obtaining some fiber, but it is still not nearly enough to meet the daily recommended fiber intake of 25 grams for adults, says Bridges. Chestnuts also contain small amounts of magnesium, he adds.
Chestnuts’ nutritional benefits largely stay the same no matter if they’re raw or cooked. Boiling chestnuts may reduce their concentration of water soluble vitamins (such as vitamin C), but the impact is still quite small, says Wilcox Gier.
Are chestnuts healthier than almonds?
When comparing chestnuts to almonds side by side, one is not necessarily healthier than the other — it really just depends on what your health goals are, says Wilcox Gier.
Chestnuts and almonds have contrasting nutritional profiles. To start, chestnuts have an incredibly low calorie content per volume, says Bridges. One ounce of chestnuts is 70 calories, whereas an ounce of almonds is 170 calories, says Wilcox Gier. So, if you’re looking for a low-calorie food that will fill you up, chestnuts can be a great snack option.
Almonds have significantly more protein, fat and fiber than chestnuts. “Protein-wise, you don't even get a gram of protein in one ounce of chestnuts, whereas almonds, you take in six grams of protein,” Wilcox Gier says. Almonds also have about 45 times more fat than chestnuts, Bridges adds.
“So, if somebody's looking for a snack that might sustain them a little bit longer, almonds might do a better job of that because of their fat and their protein content,” she says.
Ultimately, while chestnuts have a vastly different nutritional profile when compared to other nuts, they still offer immense health benefits as a low-calorie, low-fat, antioxidant-rich nut. So, the next time you stop by your local supermarket, remember that chestnuts can be an excellent addition to a well-balanced diet.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are chestnuts good for you? And how they compare to almonds
