Chestnut Growers of America

NUTRITION
 

 

Chestnuts:  The "Un Nut" You'll Love!

summarized with permission from the
Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri

As you consider healthy food choices for your family, why not "go nuts?"

Chestnuts are called the "UnNut" because nutritionally, they hardly resemble their tree-nut cousins.  Unlike pecans and walnuts, chestnuts contain just a trace of fat.  They are also the only nut that contains a significant amount of Vitamin C.  Like all plant foods, chestnuts contain no cholesterol.  For weight watchers, chestnuts are a low-calorie feast.

Not only are chestnuts delicious with a sweet, mild flavor, they are rich in nutritional benefits.  Just a handful of other foods can match the nutritional value of a chestnut!
 

 

Chestnuts:  Chock Full of Nutrition

  • High moisture content -- very little fat

  • High fiber content makes chestnuts a filling snack

  • One third the calorie content of peanuts and cashews

  • High in complex carbohydrates for energy

  • Cholesterol free

  • It's called the grain that grows on trees
           

 

Nutritional Analysis of Fresh Chestnuts

Calories
Calories from Total Fat
Total Fat
     Saturated Fat
     Polyunsaturated Fat
     Monounsaturated Fat
Cholesterol
Sodium
Total Carbohydrate
     Dietary Fiber
     Sugars
Protein
Vitamin A
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Calcium
Iron
Ash
Moisture

 170
9
1.01 gm
0.2 gm (18.8%)
0.5 gm (52.3%)
0.3 gm (28.9%)
<1 mg
19 mg
37.2 gm
6.3 gm
4.6 gm
2.99 gm
12 IU
1 RE
1.7 mg
15 mg
1.26 mg
0.98%
57.84%

gm = grams
mg = milligrams
IU = International Units
RE = Retinol Equivalents
< = Less than

Source:  Michigan State University, Dept. of FSHN, 2003

 
© Copyright 2009 Chestnut Growers of America, Inc.