With the term of chestnut, we refer both to the tree (castanea) and the fruit it produces; the term castanea (in Italian Castagno is the tree and castagna the fruit) derives from the greek and latin ancient world.
The sweet chestnut was introduced into Europe from Sardis, in Asia Minor; it has been a staple food in southern Europe, and Eastern Asia for millennia, mainly in regions where cereals didn’t grow well, in mountainous Mediterranean areas. There the chestnut was the main source of carbohydrates until the introduction of the potato: still now in several Italian region it is considered a substitute for potatoes.
Hereunder a table, giving the nutritional value of the Chestnut:
| Chestnuts (raw, peeled) | Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
|---|---|
| Energy | 820 kJ (200 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 44 g |
| Sugars | 11 g |
| Fat | 1.3 g |
| Protein | 1.6 g |
| Water | 60.21 g |
| Vitamin A equiv. | 1 μg (0%) |
| Thiamine (vit. B1) | 0.144 mg (13%) |
| Riboflavin (vit. B2) | 0.016 mg (1%) |
| Niacin (vit. B3) | 1.102 mg (7%) |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.352 mg (27%) |
| Folate (vit. B9) | 58 μg (15%) |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 μg (0%) |
| Vitamin C | 40.2 mg (48%) |
| Calcium | 19 mg (2%) |
| Iron | 0.94 mg (7%) |
| Magnesium | 30 mg (8%) |
| Phosphorus | 38 mg (5%) |
| Potassium | 484 mg (10%) |
| Sodium | 2 mg (0%) |
| Zinc | 0.49 mg (5%) |
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.
Fresh chestnut fruits have about 180 calories (800 kJ) per 100 grams of edible parts, Chestnuts, as with all plant foods, contain no cholesterol and contain very little fat, mostly unsaturated, and no gluten.
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