In order to be healthy, cheerful and in excellent shape in every season, we should stay in harmony with nature. In this sense, seasonal products such as chestnuts are a great gift from nature. One should take as much of it as one can. That sounds very simple and it is basically like that! For an even better effect, you should prepare the food yourself and, if possible, harvest it with your own hands. The problem is that you can’t eat everything that looks good! There are different types of chestnuts and some are just poisonous to us. We would like to give you some important information so that there is no confusion and problems for your health.
The blossoms of edible chestnuts and horse chestnuts are very different from each other
Caution: Not all chestnuts can be eaten, because some are poisonous!
The more energy you invest in preparing your own food, the healthier it is for you. The health-conscious among you have probably already discovered this from your own experience. But the pursuit of home-cooked food can sometimes be dangerous. Some people enthusiastically collect horse chestnuts, which are common in many regions of Europe. However, they are poisonous and must not be eaten. That’s why the other, edible varieties are called sweet chestnuts.
You can also take care of chestnut trees at home
Visually distinguish sweet chestnuts from horse chestnuts
In fact, you could eat chestnuts that you find in nature. However, you should be aware that they are edible. Before heading to the park or forest to look for them, print out pictures of both types from trusted online sources. A perfect differentiator would be the flowers. However, they don’t really help us much in the harvest season. The leaves of the two tree species are also very different from each other. These of the sweet chestnuts are narrow and elongated and attach to the branch at different points. The leaves of the inedible horse chestnuts are more conical in shape. With these, several leaves attach to the branch in the same place. In addition, the chestnut fruits are in shells with several sharp spikes. It is best to open them with your shoes, otherwise it is quite painful for the skin. Horse chestnuts also have spines, but they are very soft and safe to hold with your hands. But you shouldn’t eat the fruit!
The spines of the chestnuts are really many and very sharp
Sweet chestnuts and chestnuts – is that the same thing?
Chestnuts are cultivated varieties of chestnuts, which you can get from the nursery and use at home. Both terms do not mean exactly the same thing. Chestnuts are varieties that, among other things, grow wild in nature and are edible. Their homeland is the Caucasus and that is why the plant likes warmer climates. There are certain regions in Germany where sweet chestnuts are particularly widespread. These are mainly found in the Palatinate and along the Rhine, very close to the famous wine-growing regions there. The particularly delicious cultivated chestnuts are mostly imported from France and Italy.
Only harvest chestnuts yourself if you can tell the edible from the inedible
Are chestnuts healthy?
Chestnuts and sweet chestnuts are more than healthy! They’re a kind of superfood from nature, and that’s a gluten-free one. The list of healthy ingredients it contains is quite long and includes large amounts of magnesium, vitamin C and potassium, among others. By enjoying sweet chestnuts, you boost your immune and nervous systems and get through the fall and winter seasons much better. You can read more about this topic in the following fresh ideas article. You can find tips and recipes for the preparation under this link.
Did you know that you can bake bread from chestnut flour?
Horse chestnuts can be used for beautiful craft projects
Chestnuts are called cultivated chestnuts
Chestnuts and honey is a healthy and very tasty combination
For a good autumn mood, you can do some handicrafts with horse chestnuts and other gifts of nature
We wish you a healthy autumn full of delicious products