That chestnuts are natural, tasty and irresistible is well known, but perhaps you don’t know that what you eat is a seed that appears inside a hedgehog, the true fruit of the chestnut tree.
This fruit was, for centuries, the main food of rural mountainous populations, until corn and potatoes arrived in Europe. Shepherds and woodcutters, while warming themselves with the heat of the fires on cold nights, during autumn and winter, added chestnuts they collected along the way to the fire.
There are around 53 types of chestnuts in the world! And the Portuguese chestnut has a special seal called Protected Designation of Origin (DOP), which guarantees quality and unique characteristics due to its place of production. It deserves a round of proud applause, don’t you think? But it doesn’t stop there!
Chestnuts have enormous cultural importance in our country: why?
- St. Martin’s Day: Legend has it that a kind soldier shared his cloak with a beggar on a stormy day, to protect himself from the rain and cold, and at that moment the sun shone and it stopped raining. The soldier became a Saint and to this day, Saint Martin’s Day, almost always sunny, is celebrated with magustos from the north to the south of the country.
- Coats of arms with chestnut trees: the chestnut tree was included in the coats of arms of several municipalities and ancient noble families, such as Castanheira de Pera, Castelo Branco, Lamego and Vila Nova de Cerveira, the Pires de Lima family, the Castro e Castro family and the Sequeira family as well.
- Locality names: there are hundreds of towns with names linked to the chestnut, such as Souto da Casa, Soutelinho and Castanheira de Pera.
A little box of surprises – more curiosities:
- In Sicily, in Italy, there is the famous “Chestnut Tree of a Hundred Horses”! They say it could be the oldest chestnut tree standing, around 3000 years old. It is 58 meters in diameter and, according to legend, it gave shelter to 100 horses from Queen Joan I of Castile’s entourage. It is registered in the Guinness Book of Records, the book of records!
- In the Middle Ages, the chestnut tree was known as the “bread tree”, as its fruit was a food rich in nutrients and energy, and whenever there was a shortage of cereals, it was the chestnut that saved the meals of the poorest.
- Have you ever heard that Roman soldiers ate chestnut puree before battles? It was a way to gain energy!
- It is said that Alexander the Great planted chestnut trees throughout Europe and that, during his retreat from Asia Minor, the Greek army survived thanks to chestnut reserves.
- And did you know that a chestnut tree can be 45 meters tall? And it takes a long time to grow and only at the age of 25 or 30 – yes, you read that right – does it start to bear fruit?
What are the nutritional benefits?
If so much curiosity has whetted your appetite, now let’s talk about its nutritional benefits. They are naturally rich in carbohydrates, a source of fiber and low in fat. They contain minerals such as vitamin C, potassium and magnesium.
Chestnuts are naturally gluten-free. Therefore, they can be used whole or in flour as an alternative to gluten-containing cereals, for those who need to make this adjustment to their diet. They are a source of vitamin C, which contributes to the normal functioning of gums, skin and teeth. They also help the immune and nervous system, reduce tiredness and increase iron absorption.
Chestnuts are a source of fiber, which contributes to normal bowel function and increased satiety.
Did you know that Do chestnuts have proteins and essential amino acids, such as tryptophan? This amino acid is involved in the production of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter for functions such as mood, sleep and well-being.
How will you taste them?
And that’s exactly how we want you to be: happy! For this, we suggest a good dose of nuts. And you can eat it pureed, as an accompaniment to meat or fish dishes or, as is so typical in São Martinho, eat roasted chestnuts with a pinch of salt or cooked with fennel, rosemary or anise. Hot and very, very good! It can also be used as a base for soups, jams, desserts and cakes.
This article was validated by Continente’s team of nutritionists.
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