Health Benefits of Chestnuts (Abu Farwa) A favorite winter treat
Eating chestnuts, or what is known as Abu Farwa, is one of the delicious nuts with a light sweet taste, especially in the winter. Given to The benefits of chestnuts Multiple, it occupies a special place in many cultures such as China, Japan, and the countries of the Mediterranean basin. It is worth noting that you can eat it raw, roasted, or grind and add to pastries or salads such as tuna salad.
The benefits of chestnuts
Chestnuts contain many nutrients that have health benefits for the body, from improving digestion to strengthening and protecting bones. Among the most important benefits of chestnuts:
Improve digestion health
Some studies have shown the ability of chestnuts to improve digestion, since they are a rich source of dietary fiber, which in turn helps the movement of food through the digestive system.
It also helps treat constipation, reduce hunger, and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Plus, it’s gluten-free, which makes it a good choice for people with celiac disease.
Rich in antioxidants
In addition to containing a large amount of minerals and vitamins, chestnuts also contain a good amount of antioxidants, which help protect against damage caused by skin cancer.
Where antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals, the accumulation of which may lead to damage to cells, and the body becomes more susceptible to chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
Benefits of Abu Farwa for diet
Chestnuts are a rich source of dietary fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, which you may need to add to your diet in order to lose weight. Where eating a lot of fiber helps to improve bowel movement, regulate blood sugar levels, and reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, as it is one of the foods that helps reduce the feeling of hunger.
Strengthening immunity
Farwa is one of the foods rich in vitamin C, as half a cup of raw chestnuts can give you about 35% to 45% of your daily vitamin C requirement.
However, you should know that boiling or roasting chestnuts may cause them to lose some of their vitamin C content. Despite this, you still have about 15% to 20% of your daily need for this vitamin.
In order to preserve the most vitamin C when cooked, it’s best to roast them at a low temperature, or use a food dehydrator to dry them.
The benefits of chestnuts for bones
Eating just 10 chestnuts can provide 50% of the manganese you need throughout the day. Manganese is an important mineral that is essential for maintaining healthy bones. Therefore, taking it with other minerals helps to resist osteoporosis and maintain its strength, especially in older women.
Improve brain function
One of the benefits of chestnuts is also that it is a rich source of many B vitamins, including folic acid, vitamin B6, thiamine, and riboflavin, which are important vitamins in order to maintain brain health, improve cognitive performance, and prevent diseases.
Promote heart health
Eating Abu Farwa may help promote heart health and reduce the risk of infection, due to the fact that it contains antioxidants and minerals such as potassium and magnesium, which in turn help reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.
Benefits of Abu Farwa for diabetics
The dietary fiber that chestnuts contain balances blood sugar. Where eating foods rich in fiber helps the body absorb carbohydrates slowly. This, in turn, helps to avoid high blood sugar, and chestnuts have a low glycemic index value of 54.
Benefits of Abu Farwa for hair
Eating Abu Farwa may help maintain healthy hair, as it contains many nutrients such as vitamin B, vitamin E, zinc, and potassium. This helps nourish hair, maintain its shine, and protect it from damage.
Benefits of chestnut for pregnant women
Eating chestnuts for pregnant women is a good thing because they contain many important nutrients, which may benefit the health of both the mother and the fetus. As it helps to boost the immune system health of expectant mothers, it may also help prevent the appearance of birth defects in newborn babies.
However, it is better to consult a doctor before eating it during pregnancy, as some may suffer from an allergy to eating some types of nuts, including chestnuts.
How to peel Abu Farwa
So you can peel fresh chestnuts, Follow these steps:
- Rinse the chestnuts with water
- Make a long slit in the skin on the flat side of each. This slit helps allow steam to escape from the walnuts while they are being heated.
- Place the chestnuts in a pot of cold water over low heat for about 15 minutes
- Transfer the avocado nuts with a slotted spoon, to place them on a baking tray making sure to place them flat side down.
- Roast the chestnuts in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes
How many calories in Abu Farwa
One of the benefits of chestnuts is that it is considered lower in calories than other types of nuts. While, for example, half a cup of chestnuts contains 175 calories, half a cup of almonds contains 414 calories.
And every 100 gm of chestnuts contains 131 calories. As for one ounce (about 28 grams) of chestnut nuts, they contain 37 calories.
Chestnut damage
Eating raw chestnuts is generally safe, but it is always preferable not to overeat any food, including chestnuts, in order to avoid any side effects that may result from eating them.
Chestnuts contain tannic acid, which may lead to stomach irritation or nausea, or may cause liver damage in cases of liver disease, in case of excessive consumption.
Some people may also experience an allergic reaction to eating nuts, including chestnuts. So if you are allergic, avoid it.