With winter approaching, it’s the perfect time to savor chestnuts, whether as a delightful roasted snack or as a flavorful addition to soups and stuffing.

Chestnuts are highly nutritious, boasting a unique nutrient profile that sets them apart from most nuts: they are antioxidant-packed yet low in both calories and fat.

While it’s widely recognized that chestnuts can significantly benefit your health when included in a balanced diet, a common question arises: do cooking methods diminish their nutritional value? To clarify your chestnut queries, we consulted experts to provide the essential information.

How many chestnuts should you eat daily?

Chestnuts are a healthy, low-calorie snack choice. According to Emily Wilcox Gier, a registered dietitian and associate professor at Cornell University, a standard one-ounce serving of chestnuts contains about 70 calories, which is comparable to a piece of fruit.

Chestnuts can be eaten raw or cooked, with the main difference being their taste, as noted by Wilcox Gier. Raw chestnuts might taste slightly bitter due to the presence of tannic acid. However, roasting or boiling them enhances their sweetness and makes them softer and more digestible.

Are chestnuts beneficial for your health?

According to Wilcox Gier, chestnuts are intriguing because their nutritional content is unlike that of standard nuts. One ounce of chestnuts has a much lower caloric count compared to most nuts, and they are also low in fat.

One of the most remarkable aspects of chestnuts is their high antioxidant levels. As Dave Bridges, an associate professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan, points out, chestnuts are a great source of vitamin C.

A single serving of chestnuts can provide 11% of your daily vitamin C needs, Bridges explains. They are also rich in polyphenols like gallic acid and ellagic acid, both of which help combat free radicals and lower bodily inflammation, according to Healthline.

Chestnuts offer 1.5 grams of fiber per serving, Bridges adds. Although consuming chestnuts contributes to your fiber intake, it isn’t sufficient to meet the recommended daily amount of 25 grams for adults. Additionally, they contain small quantities of magnesium.

The nutritional advantages of chestnuts largely remain consistent whether they are consumed raw or cooked. Boiling chestnuts may slightly decrease the levels of water-soluble vitamins (like vitamin C), but the effect is minimal, says Wilcox Gier.

Are chestnuts healthier than almonds?

Comparing chestnuts and almonds doesn’t necessarily reveal one to be healthier than the other; it truly depends on your specific health objectives, states Wilcox Gier.

Chestnuts and almonds have differing nutritional profiles. For instance, chestnuts have a very low calorie count relative to their volume—70 calories per ounce compared to 170 calories for almonds, according to Wilcox Gier. Therefore, if low-calorie snacks are your goal, chestnuts could be a fantastic choice.

Almonds, on the other hand, are significantly richer in protein, fat, and fiber. “You won’t even find a gram of protein in one ounce of chestnuts, while almonds provide six grams of protein,” states Wilcox Gier. Bridges also highlights that almonds contain about 45 times the amount of fat found in chestnuts.

“For those seeking a snack that may provide longer-lasting energy, almonds could be a better option due to their higher fat and protein content,” she adds.

In conclusion, while chestnuts differ greatly in nutritional makeup compared to other nuts, they still deliver significant health perks as a low-calorie, low-fat snack abundant in antioxidants. So the next time you visit your local grocery store, remember that chestnuts can be an excellent inclusion in your balanced diet.