Why do we put small stones in sugar-roasted chestnuts? Can bright chestnuts cause cancer? The truth is…

Expert of this article: Pa Lize, chief physician of nutrition, former deputy director of the Institute of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Management of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention

On the streets in autumn, we often smell a special fragrance, and then our mouths immediately water with emotion.

The source of this aroma is sugar-roasted chestnuts!

Eat watermelon in summer and chestnuts in autumn. Buy a bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts in mid-to-late October and savor them slowly. You will feel great.

However, if you observe carefully, you may find that the sugar-roasted chestnuts are fried with sugar to enhance the flavor, so why are they fried with pebbles?

Also, how many chestnuts should I eat each time? There are rumors that the sugar-roasted chestnuts sold at roadside stalls contain industrial paraffin wax. Is it true that eating too much will cause cancer?

Today, let’s eat chestnuts together and uncover the secrets of sugar-roasted chestnuts.

Why are chestnuts fried with stones?

Frying sugar-roasted chestnuts with stones, like other cooking methods such as salting and wrapping with mud and sand, is one of the food preparation methods invented and passed down by the wise Chinese people. It is a practical application of solid-state medium heat transfer cooking technology.

This can not only maintain the original flavor of the raw materials, but also lock in the original aroma of the raw materials. In other words, the small stones added when frying chestnuts can provide and maintain the temperature required to make the chestnuts crispy and tender because they heat quickly and transfer heat quickly. Therefore, the moisture of the chestnuts is evenly distributed in the shortest time, achieving the effect of concentrating the freshness of the chestnuts.

It can also be said that adding small stones to sugar-roasted chestnuts will make the chestnuts sweeter, more flavorful and more fragrant.

Can’t eat too many sugar-roasted chestnuts?

There are rumors online that 6 chestnuts = 1 bowl of rice, and sugar-roasted chestnuts should not be eaten too much, otherwise the calories are too high. Is this true?

Chestnuts, which belong to the nuts, are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamin E, B vitamins and various minerals, which are beneficial to health.

However, according to the Chinese Food Composition Table (Sixth Edition), 100 grams of cooked chestnuts have 214 kcal of calories and 46 grams of carbohydrates, while 100 grams of rice has only 116 kcal of calories and 25.9 grams of carbohydrates. Therefore, the folk rumor that 6 chestnuts = 1 bowl of rice is not made up out of thin air.

But it is not so accurate. Whether "6 chestnuts = 1 bowl of rice" is exactly depends on the variety and grade of the chestnuts.

Excerpted from "GH/T 1029-2002 Supply and Marketing Cooperative Industry Standard of the People's Republic of China - Chinese chestnut"

Perhaps it is precisely because chestnuts are foods with high nutritional density and energy density that the Chinese people have believed since ancient times that chestnuts can be used as a substitute for grain. They can be called "woody grains" and "hardcore crops" together with dates and persimmons. As a result, many areas in my country not only eat sugar-fried chestnuts, but also put chestnuts in some dishes.

Because chestnuts are delicious, many people will eat too much after meals without realizing it. However, eating too much chestnuts is very bad for controlling weight and stabilizing blood sugar levels! Eating too much is also not easy to digest.

Will eating too much sugar-roasted chestnuts with paraffin cause cancer?

There are also rumors online that the shiny "sugar-roasted chestnuts" bought on the roadside are added with paraffin and eating too much can cause cancer, which makes some people stay away from sugar-roasted chestnuts.

Theoretically, if some unscrupulous vendors use paraffin, especially industrial paraffin, the heavy metals in it will indeed cause harm to health, and industrial paraffin is carcinogenic because it contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

In fact, you should think that paraffin is only wrapped on the chestnut skin, and the skin will be peeled when eating. In addition, considering the nutritional characteristics, the amount of paraffin consumed each time is very small, so there is no need to worry too much.

What nutrients does chestnut have? How to choose?

Chestnuts, like walnuts, cashews, almonds and other nuts, have a high total fat content, but more than half of it is unsaturated fatty acids that have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. Nuts also contain a certain amount of plant sterols.

Chestnuts are high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium, and low in sodium, which is very beneficial to health. They are also high in vitamins B1 and B2. Therefore, sugar-fried chestnuts are very suitable as a healthy snack choice between meals.

Please note that when choosing sugar-roasted chestnuts, don't pursue "appearance" too much. Fruits with white or golden flesh are not necessarily healthy.

The flesh of chestnuts will turn brown after being fried or cooked. This is because the enzymes contained in the chestnuts undergo a browning reaction. As long as the taste and flavor do not change, it will not cause any harm to the human body.

The golden or white chestnut flesh is likely to have been chemically treated by fumigation or soaking with bleach. Such chestnuts will have sulfide residues that can cause damage to the mucous membranes and organs.

Also, don't choose chestnuts that are moldy or may be contaminated by toxic or harmful substances!

Results of many studies at home and abroad have found that eating appropriate amounts of various nuts, including chestnuts, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, high blood pressure, and colon cancer in women, improve dyslipidemia, promote heart health, and prolong life.

However, although sugar-fried chestnuts are rich in nutrition, carbohydrates, i.e. starch and energy, are not low. Eating 3-5 chestnuts a day is enough. If chestnuts are added to meals, remember to reduce the intake of staple foods appropriately.

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