Are chestnuts alkaline or acidic? How to choose chestnuts

The acidity and alkalinity of food is an aspect that many people pay close attention to in modern dietary life. So, are chestnuts alkaline or acidic? Are chestnuts alkaline foods? Although with the development of planting technology, many seasonal foods can be bought all year round, but eating the corresponding foods in the corresponding season is undoubtedly the most nutritious, delicious and healthiest. Chestnuts (chestnuts are a snack that I believe everyone is familiar with and loves, so when do chestnuts mature? When is the best time to eat chestnuts? There are many varieties of chestnuts, and eating seasonal chestnuts in autumn is also the most delicious and nutritious. Take a look at the following introduction from the Encyclopedia Knowledge Network.

Contents of this article

1. Is chestnut alkaline or acidic?

2. When do chestnuts mature?

3. How to choose chestnuts

Is chestnut alkaline or acidic?

Chestnuts are alkaline foods, and most dried fruits and vegetables are alkaline. Judging the acidity and alkalinity of food has nothing to do with the taste of the food itself, but is based on the properties of the final product after the minerals in the food are metabolized in the body. Generally speaking, foods rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium are alkaline.

In fact, although chestnuts have acidity and alkalinity, they are not very important for human health, and the nutritional benefits of eating chestnuts are similar for people with acidic or alkaline constitutions. It can be said that the acidity and alkalinity of chestnuts themselves are meaningless. What is important is the nutritional value and efficacy of chestnuts. The general population can eat chestnuts in moderation, whether they are eaten raw or cooked.

In simple terms, the difference between acidic and alkaline foods is the difference in mineral content. If the content of calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, etc. is high, it is alkaline, while foods with high phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorine content are acidic. In addition, there are neutral foods. It should be noted that the acidity and alkalinity of food are not very meaningful compared with the heat and coldness of food in traditional Chinese medicine theory, and have little impact on dietary health, while heat and coldness have an important impact on healthy diet.

When do chestnuts mature?

There are many varieties of chestnuts, and the specific maturity period of different varieties varies, but most of them mature in autumn. The flowering period of chestnuts is usually from May to June, and the fruiting period is from September to October. In some areas, chestnuts are ripe and available in the market in mid-to-late August. Generally, all chestnuts will mature before November. Eating seasonal chestnuts in autumn is the most delicious and nutritious.

Chestnuts taste crisp when eaten raw, and are not very sweet, but they are also delicious. Chestnuts are also nutritious when eaten raw, especially for kidney diseases (such as kidney deficiency). In addition to being eaten raw, chestnuts are more often fried or used to stew chicken or duck. Fried chestnuts (mostly sugar-fried chestnuts) are soft, fragrant, sweet and delicious, and are a very good snack.

Regardless of how chestnuts are processed, they should never be eaten as a staple food, and it is not recommended to eat a large amount of chestnuts. Nuts are mostly difficult to digest and have high calories, so in order to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort and weight gain, don't eat too much. In addition, although chestnuts themselves are not sweet, they have a high sugar content and a high total calorie content, so diabetics need to eat less.

How to choose chestnuts

1. Look at the color. Some raw chestnuts look shiny and dark like chocolate. Don't buy such chestnuts, as they are old. Buy the ones with lighter color (like coffee with more mate) and a thin layer of powder on the surface. These are new chestnuts.

Second, look at the fuzz. Everyone knows that chestnuts have a lot of fuzz at the tail. The shiny surface and old chestnuts usually have less fuzz, only a little at the tip of the tail. New chestnuts usually have more fuzz at the tail.

3. Check the surface for worm holes. If there are no worm holes on the surface, but you are still worried, you can rub the chestnut skin vigorously with your hands. If there are still no worm holes on the surface, then there are probably no worm holes.

Fourth, look at the size. There is a kind of Japanese chestnut, which is very large and pleasing to the eye, but it has a lot of water, less sweetness, and high yield, but the taste is not as smooth and sweet as the domestic varieties. The second kind is a common medium-sized variety that everyone sees, and the taste varies according to the place of origin. The third kind is not very common, and the size is very small, but this kind is generally a mountain chestnut, a real green food, and tastes sweet.

5. Look at the shape. Common chestnuts are roughly divided into two shapes. The first type has one round side and one flat side; the second type has both sides flat. When choosing, choose the first type if you want sweet ones, and choose the second type if you don’t want sweet ones. The reason is very simple. From the growth state of chestnuts: there are several chestnuts on the tree, which are wrapped in green thorny shells. The chestnuts close to the shell have round sides, and the ones sandwiched in the middle will of course be flat on both sides. The closer the chestnuts are to the shell, the easier it is to be exposed to sunlight. The sugar content of many fruits is also closely related to the sunshine time. This is why chestnuts on the outer layer are sweeter than those on the inner layer. If you don’t eat the raw chestnuts you buy at the time, it is best to put them in a mesh bag or sieve and place them in a cool and ventilated place.