engleski

Chestnuts, a "comfort" healthy food?

Chestnuts are used as food since ancient times and after several centuries of neglect they are now regaining popularity, also among the health-conscious consumers. Chestnuts deserve better appreciation as a valuable source of nutrients and of their unique composition and properties. They contain a very large amount of vitamin C, considerable amounts of vitamin B6, thiamin, folate and riboflavin, large amounts of manganese, potassium, copper, phosphorus, magnesium and iron, small amount of valuable unsaturated fatty acids. Chestnuts are gluten-free and that makes them useful food for celiac patients. These patients suffer from gluten intolerance manifested in stomach discomfort, diarrhoea and fatigue. Non-resistant and resistant starch comprises 40% of chestnut dry matter. Resistant starch survives the small intestines and decomposes or is fermented in the rectum to serve as a bulking agent and provide a feeling of satiety. Such delayed decomposition results in a slower and lower blood sugar rise. Investigations on the health benefits of chestnuts in modern foods in general, and the effect on the well-being of celiac patients in particular, are reviewed: patient’ s comfort, satiety, and blood sugar levels. The effect of storage conditions of different chestnut variety on starch digestibility is studied for a two-month period. Comparison of storage at 20 °C and -18 °C shows in some varieties a decrease of up to 30% in resistant starch content.

chestnuts; resistant starch; storage; celiac disease; blood sugar

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