SWEET SWEET CHESTNUTS
Sweet chestnuts are one of those archetypal Autumn/Winter foods aren’t they? Roasting them on an open fire has even been sung about- that’s how embedded they are in our culture. However, when was the last time you actually ate them? Eating roast chestnuts in the UK isn’t quite as common as you’d imagine, I reckon. However, in other parts of the world (hi there China), these nuts are quite a staple really, and what’s not to love about going for a walk in the woods, finding a whole load of super spikey chestnut cases, and stamping on them until the beautifully brown nuts pop themselves out? The tricky part is gathering the shiny nuts without spiking yourself something rotten, and even then you’re not done yet. Then you have to peel the brown shells off and scrape the bitter, astringent pithy stuff off the outside of the nut itself. However, once that’s done, then you’re good to go! They’re delicious raw- sweet and crunchy with a distinctive squeakiness to them which I really enjoy. However, as with most things in Ayurveda, when cooked they’re better for you (in short, cooked foods are easier to digest!)
As with most nuts, chestnuts are warming. They are also (as the name suggests!) sweet and extremely nourishing. This essentially means that they are a kind of tonic- they help to strengthen, build, rebuild and nourish the body. Our bodies are best at responding to tonics during the Winter months, and so once again we have another example of nature providing exactly what we need at exactly the right time of year.
People with cardiovascular complaints may want to include more sweet chestnuts in their diet, and also those with high cholesterol. They help stimulate blood flow, reduce the viscosity of blood and tone the blood vessels. Because of this, they can also help with varicose veins and things like hemorrhoids. Sweet chestnuts are also used to alleviate arthritic and other joint pains, especially those which worsen in the colder Winter months. Gout sufferers may also benefit from eating sweet chestnuts too.
On top of this, seasonal viruses such as colds can more easily be warded off by those who regularly eat sweet chestnuts as they help to build immunity as well as being anti-inflammatory.
Because of their astringent quality, those with very high Vata should avoid sweet chestnuts as over-doing them can lead to constipation. However, this quality is also great for treating diarrhea or high stomach acidity.
Roasted chestnuts are delicious, but that can make them even drier than they already are, so frying them in a cast iron pan (with a lid on- some explode! You can counteract this by piercing them with a fork) can help keep them moist. However, you can also stew them- they taste great with other autumnal foods such as root vegetables or squashes- especially with a little nutmeg, pepper, rock salt, cumin and coriander. Either have them as a stew, or blend the concoction up once you’re done and have it as a