The use of the chestnut in human diet is lost in time. Before the potato laid down roots in Portugal, fuelled by Discoveries, the chestnut was the queen in our diet, as in the rest of Europe. The reasons are simple: chestnut trees do not need fertile soils or special care – all it takes is to pick the fruits that grows every year inside their spiny husks – and chestnuts are very satiating . Note that: The chestnut comprises mostly carbohydrates and is poor in fat . It is rich in vitamins and minerals , especially vitamins C and B6, folic acid, and in minerals, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. 10 roasted chestnuts (84 g) contain only 2 g of fat, but provide us 17% of the daily recommended intake of fibre, 36% of the necessary dose of vitamin C, 21% of vitamin B6 and 15% of acid folic. The chestnut tree is an indigenous species of Portugal (existing in Serra da Estrela for about 8 thousand years) and its culture was strongly developed during the Roman Empire. Chestnuts were, then, a very cheap food, indispensable for the poorest people. And since they arise in Autumn, they came to be associated over the ages with multiple celebrations and popular traditions – such as the “magustos” or São Martinho, when the first wine is also served, after the harvest. In terms of confection, the chestnut is one of the most versatile foods : it can be eaten simply boiled (with sweet grass, according to tradition) or roasted, but also as accompaniment for dishes, perfectly replacing rice, pasta or potatoes. It can be used in almost all : soups and broths, roasts and stews, drinks (liquor, for instance), sweets and candies, and even bread (with chestnut flour). As it happens with all foods, chestnuts should be preferably eaten in season. But since it is a product easy to preserve , also by freezing, we can use it throughout the year . Sources Programa Nacional para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável Learn now the recipes suggested by our nutritionists Ana Guimarães , Cristina Vieira Cunha , Dília Soares and Mónica Santos .
