Every day it seems that there is a new nutrition craze. Green smoothies, grains like quinoa that tongue-tie even the most erudite people, and mounds of extracts that are supposed to be magic cures. However, many times the simple staples that are overlooked and taken for granted are often some of the strongest and easiest ways to battle chronic illness and prevent disease. Chestnuts have been cultivated for over 6000 years in China. Europe has been utilizing the mighty chestnut for 3000 years. The chestnut genus has nine species of deciduous trees. These amazing nuts are low in fat and calories while offering four types of beneficial triglycerides. They also provide an entire range of health benefits. Read on to discover why chestnuts should be your go-to snack.
Type 2 Diabetes is a serious problem in the United States — almost 10 percent of the population has the condition. Battling type 2 diabetes has always involved a low glycemic diet. A low glycemic diet involves foods that keep the body from experiencing high spikes and severe dips in blood sugar. Chestnuts in all their sweet and savory goodness are an ideal low glycemic food.
Ever wonder why there's always a roasted chestnut vendor at ice rinks and Winter festivals and fairs? Chestnuts naturally strengthen the human immune system with a wealth of antioxidants and boosting levels of vitamin C.
Vitamin C keeps white blood cells in production, allowing them to destroy any free radicals found in the body. The healthy white blood cells obliterate these free radicals and stop them before they can mutate cells or create disease-causing stress near your organs. Safe to say, those chestnut vendors are a healthier choice than the fudge.
Move over milk; you have got some serious competition. Copper is a trace mineral that is crucial to the overall health of a human body. To have strong, healthy bones, your body must be capable of absorbing iron. Copper is a crucial element to iron absorption, and guess what? Chestnuts have significant levels of copper to aid the iron integration into the human body.
Chestnuts are amazing nuts. High in fiber, low in fat and calories and very versatile. These superhero nuts can engage peristaltic functions in the intestines, which in turn, normalize your bathroom business. Over 75 percent of the immune system is located in the gut. Diets high in fiber help prevent inflammation and pain while allowing the body to utilize nutrients fully.
Nutrients like folate, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, and B vitamins are crucial to the brain's daily functions. Chestnuts are rich in these elemental building blocks of cognitive function. In fact, a healthy presence of these nutrients is directly associated with regular neurological development. Chestnuts are also rich in potassium. Potassium helps increase the flow of blood to the brain and aids in preserving the health of the nervous system which can increase your ability to remember things and help you concentrate.
Potassium is responsible for so many functions in your body. It controls how water moves inside you and also operates as a vasodilator. A vasodilator helps widen blood vessels and aids in promoting blood flow and eases tightness inside congested arteries and blood vessels making it imperative to overall health. A simple serving of chestnuts can help decrease the likelihood of stroke, angina, and heart disease.
Millions of Americans suffer from chronic illnesses, forcing them to miss out on daily activities, special events, and even once-in-a-lifetime occasions. Chronic illness brings discomfort, pain, and even sometimes depression. Many chronic illnesses are caused by the presence and disbursement of free radical in the sick individual's body. These natural productions of cellular respiration often make cells mutate and can eventually lead to cancer.
Chestnuts are a wealthy source of antioxidants. Antioxidants battle free radicals when they are released into the body, stopping them before they can mutate cells into a life-threatening disease like cancer.
As you age, your bones may begin to lose density and strength. It is crucial to maintaining a balanced level of copper, iron, and magnesium to fortify your bone structure against the ravages of time. Chestnuts are (yep, you guessed it!) high in copper which helps the human body process iron and increases absorption rates.
Vitamin C is a well-known boost to the immune system, but Vitamin C combined with a variety of antioxidant compounds provide a much stronger punch against colds and coughs. Chestnuts are miracle nuts. They are low in fat and calories (100 grams is 213 calories and is 8 percent fat). Chestnuts are also rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.
These wonder nuts (chestnuts) are easy to find and even easier to prepare. Many grocery stores will carry chestnuts during the winter holidays, but if you can't find them throughout the rest of the year, visit your local organic grocery store or cooperative food store to stock up. To prepare chestnuts, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, while the oven is warming up, pierce each nut. If you don't, expect a lot of excitement and maybe some cleanup.
This site offers information designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on any information on this site as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or as a substitute for, professional counseling care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.