8 Benefits of Eating Chestnuts on Your Health

Chestnuts are the nuts belonging to Genus Castanea, and are closely related to the beech family or Fagaceae family. They are scientifically known as Castanea Sativa and are available in four varieties such as European chestnuts, Chinese chestnuts, American chestnuts, and Japanese chestnuts. These delicious nuts provide many health and beauty benefits due to the abundance of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and dietary fibers, etc.

# Strengthen Bones And Teeth

Chestnut strengthens our bones and teeth due to the abundance of bone-strengthening minerals like calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, etc. Calcium is an essential mineral for bone health as it promotes the growth and development of the bones, and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Potassium improves bone density by neutralizing acid load and reducing the loss of calcium from the bones.Potassium in chestnuts is an essential mineral for bone health as it works with calcium for the formation of bones. Magnesium in chestnuts also plays an important role in improving bone density.

# Provide Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Anti-inflammatory compounds such as vitamin C and dietary fibers in chestnut reduces pain and inflammation caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism, rheumatoid, gouts, asthma, and bronchial asthma, etc.

# Improves Digestive Health

Chestnut is good for the stomach and improves our digestive health.

Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and other antioxidant compounds like phytonutrients, etc in chestnut protects our digestive system from free radical damage. This reduces the risk of various cancers like colon cancer, abdominal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and intestinal cancer, etc.

The laxative properties of dietary fibers in chestnuts improve bowel movement and provide relief from constipation and other digestive problems like abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and flatulence, etc.

# Provide Relief From Diarrhea

Chestnut improves our digestive health and provides relief from constipation.It also provides quick relief from diarrhea.

For treating diarrhea, do as follows.

- Boil 3 tablespoons of crushed shelled chestnuts with one-liter water, and let it cool to room temperature.
- Take this tannin-rich water in a controlled manner to get relief from diarrhea.

Avoid this remedy for infants and children as their stomachs may be sensitive towards the solution.

# Improves Respiratory health

Chestnuts are good for the lungs and improve our respiratory health.Vitamin C, vitamin A, and other antioxidants in chestnuts protect our respiratory system from free radical damage and reduces the risk of lung cancer.

They provide quick relief from dryness and itching caused by common respiratory diseases like cough, cold, sore throat, and bronchitis, etc.Anti-inflammatory compounds like vitamin C etc in chestnut reduces lung inflammation, Because of their expectorant properties, chestnut signals the body to produce a more hydrating secretion and relieve itching and dryness.

# Helps In Cholesterol Management

Chestnut helps in cholesterol management as it reduces bad LDL cholesterol and increases good HDL cholesterol.Dietary fibers in chestnuts reduce LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a condition that causes hardening and narrowing of arteries due to the accumulation of plaque and fat deposits in the arterial walls.Essential fatty acids like linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and Oleic acid in chestnut improves the elasticity of the blood vessels and increases HDL cholesterol.

# Protection Against Cancer(s)

Chestnut contains many antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin A, and other relevant compounds like phytonutrients, and polyphenols, etc.

These compounds protect our cells from free radical damage and reduce the risk of various cancers such as colon cancer, abdominal cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, intestinal cancer, and bladder cancer, etc.

Free radicals are unstabilized ions that stabilize by stealing electrons from the neighboring molecules, and doing so causes oxidative damage to them.

# Provide Antioxidant Benefits

Vitamin C, vitamin A, and other antioxidant compounds like flavonoids, etc in chestnut protects our cells and tissues from free radical damage.

This reduces the risk of various cancers and also provides many other benefits such as improved cardiovascular health, improved respiratory health, better cognitive health, a stronger immune system, and so on.