Basic Introduction to Guangde Chestnuts
Guangde Chestnuts are a specialty of Guangde County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province. Guangde Chestnuts are known for their “large size, fragrant flavor, and tender taste,” making them widely popular. Guangde County has been honored with the title of “China's Chestnut Hometown” by the State Forestry Administration.
Nutritional Value
1. The rich unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals in chestnuts can help prevent hypertension, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, osteoporosis, and other diseases. They are considered an anti-aging and longevity-promoting nutritious food and are often referred to as the “King of Dried Fruits.” Alongside jujubes and persimmons, they are also known as “iron stalk crops” and “tree-grown grains.”
2. Chestnuts contain riboflavin, which is beneficial for persistent oral ulcers in children and adults.
3. Chestnuts are a type of dried fruit with high carbohydrate content, providing the body with a considerable amount of energy and aiding in fat metabolism. They have the effects of invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen and stomach.
4. Chestnuts are rich in vitamin C, which helps maintain healthy teeth, bones, blood vessels, and muscles. They can prevent and treat osteoporosis, weakness in the lower back and legs, joint pain, fatigue, and other conditions, delaying aging and making them an ideal health food for the elderly.
Product Characteristics
The kernels are light yellow, firm, with fine flesh, low moisture content, high sweetness, sufficient glutinous quality, and a strong aroma.
History and Folk Customs
The cultivation of chestnuts in Guangde County has a long history. During the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, they were famous throughout the country as a “tribute product.” The superior varieties “Da Hong Pao,” “Chushu Hong,” and “Da You Li” are renowned nationwide for their stable characteristics, strong resistance, and consistent high yields.
Tasting and Eating Methods of Guangde Chestnuts
1. Due to the distinct features of chestnuts from northern and southern China, the methods of consumption differ: In the north, chestnuts are stir-fried with coarse sand and sugar syrup to make candied chestnuts; in the south, they are commonly used in dishes and soups. Chestnuts can be boiled in water and consumed as a soup for convalescence after illness or weakness in the limbs. Chestnuts can also be cooked into porridge with sugar, which is effective in tonifying kidney qi and strengthening tendons and bones. A few dried chestnuts can be eaten every morning and evening, or fresh chestnuts can be simmered and eaten by the elderly for kidney deficiency. When there is trauma with bruising and swelling, raw chestnut flesh can be mashed into a paste and applied to the affected area.
2. Method for Removing the Skin from Chestnuts: After washing raw chestnuts, place them in a container, add a small amount of fine salt, and cover them with boiling water. Cover the container. After 5 minutes, take out the chestnuts and cut them open. The chestnut skin will come off along with the shell. This method of removing chestnut skin is time-saving and labor-saving.