How to distinguish an edible chestnut from a horse chestnut?

The chestnut season begins in the fall, and both children and gourmets are happy about it. Some varieties of chestnuts are safe to eat and delicious, while others are poisonous to humans. but perfect for making crafts and handicrafts. We explain the differences.

Sweet chestnuts and horse chestnuts, which varieties are edible?

In Spain, sweet chestnuts grow wild. Instead, the horse chestnut grows wild in forested areas of Greece, Bulgaria and Albania and other northern countries. However, in our country it is used as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks thanks to its majestic size and beauty.

The two chestnuts belong to completely different tree families. Sweet chestnut belongs to the Fagaceae family and the horse chestnut, which is poisonous to humans, belongs to the Sapindaceae family.

The delicious fruits of the sweet chestnut are not only edible, but in earlier centuries, and Thanks to their high starch content, they were a staple food for many rural populations. Today chestnuts are a coveted fall and winter speciality.

Differences between sweet chestnuts and horse chestnuts

Fortunately, sweet chestnuts and horse chestnuts they can be distinguished relatively easily, you just have to pay a little attention. Ways to distinguish them:

By the leaves of the trees: all children know the large leaves of the horse chestnut tree; they are made up of five smaller individual leaves and resemble beech leaves. The leaves of the sweet chestnut, on the other hand, have small sharp points on the edge.For the pericarp: The fruits of the horse chestnut pod possess a hard, spiny pericarp that is a conspicuous yellowish-green color. The shell of sweet chestnuts, on the other hand, is made up of many soft spines.About the fruits: The fruits of the horse chestnut capsule are spherical to pear-shaped. The shape of sweet chestnuts is rather flat and pointed.

When and how to eat chestnuts

Sweet chestnut flowers in June and July, with the fruit not falling from the tree until late September at the earliest. There can be up to three chestnuts inside a spiny shell.

Sweet chestnuts can be found in many deciduous forests. So it pays to keep your eyes open while out for a walk.

of course, also chestnuts can be bought, for example, at the weekly markets, in supermarkets or roasted at chestnut stalls, or candied in the form of marron glacé in confectioneries.

Chestnuts are not only tasty, but also healthy, they contain a lot of calories, but also high-quality protein, are gluten-free, and lower in fat than nuts. They also contain valuable minerals and vitamins such as potassium, vitamin C and B vitamins.

Raw, cooked or baked, chestnuts can be prepared and eaten in many ways. In any case, first you have to remove the outer shell and the inner skin, which is quite difficult to remove.

If you plan to roast or bake them, you must mark a cross on them with a knife so that they do not explode. When they have the right point of roast they are easier to peel.

Are horse chestnuts edible?

Horse chestnuts bloom earlier, from April to May. Its fruits ripen in September and October. Wild boars and deer, who like to eat chestnuts, are especially happy with them.

In countries like Germany, Foresters and game reserves often have collection bins where you can take the chestnuts that have been harvested.

Children can play and make crafts with horse chestnuts, but they should never eat them. Because its consumption is poisonous to humans.

horse chestnuts they are also not edible for horses and dogs. In the worst case, the round fruits can cause serious poisoning due to the aesculin they contain.

Horse chestnuts are not eaten but with the seeds, bark and leaves excellent natural medicines are made to be applied externally with circulatory properties.