The chestnut tree was probably native to the temperate zones of Asia Minor and Europe. It was also found in France, in the Dordogne and the Ardèche, in archaeological sites of the Ice Age.

The chestnut has long been an important food source for the populations of regions as diverse as the Armorican Massif located in Brittany, the Massif Central, Corsica, Portugal and northern Italy.

In the countryside, the chestnut frequently replaced cereals: it also called the chestnut “bread tree”. At the end of the nineteenth century began the slow decline of chestnut with the rural exodus and the onset of serious diseases in farms. Today, the consumption of fresh chestnuts is mostly infrequent and seasonal. Chestnut increased the food “basic” status to food “heart stroke”.

The benefits of chestnut for the health

The chestnut is an alkene, in other words a dried fruit along with hazelnut or buckwheat. As is done for products to make flour, bread or mashed potatoes, the chestnut has often been classified  in the category of potatoes and tubers. We often forget the nutritional value of this fruit husk.

The chestnut is certainly different from other oilseeds by its high content of carbohydrates, since chestnut contains approximately 35% of it – almost double the content of walnuts or almonds. However, rest assured, carbohydrates are mainly chestnut starch compounds associated with a small amount of sucrose, all with very moderate glycemic index, which makes it a food of choice for athletes or for all gourmets who wish to monitor their weight.

Moreover, the chestnut is free of gluten, making it an ideal meal for people with celiac disease: however watch out not to try to make a 100% chestnut bread –it will be too difficult to eat! Plan rather a maximum ratio of 1/3 of chestnut flour in your recipes.

Where the chestnut is also distinguished from other nuts is that chestnut contains much less fat than its counterparts, with only around 2% of fatty acids, with most of them unsaturated¹.

This allows to recognize it as alkene, it is primarily because the proteins that compose it are complete (between 3 and 3.5%). In other words, the chestnut contains both lysine, which is lacking in cereals, and methionine, which is lacking in legumes (excluding soybeans). One more reason to put chestnuts in your menu!

And if, finally, chestnut is interesting from a nutritional standpoint, it’s also because of its high fiber content (over 5%), manganese and potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral that acts together with sodium to maintain acid-base balance of the body. However, very often, this balance is not assured because people consume far more sodium than potassium, leading – among other things – to blood pressure problems and bone loss.

The chestnut milk for its minerals

In trade, the chestnut milk is usually sold in the form of powder that then is simply mixed with water. But like nut milk, you can also prepare your chestnut milk yourself.

Like in the hazelnut milk, chestnut milk is highly digestible and develops few allergies for people who drink it.

Chestnut milk benefits for the body

Nutritionists say that chestnut milk is alkalizing. But what does it mean?

The opposite of alkalinity is acidity. An alkalizing food will have the effect of reducing the acidic pH of your body. That is why chestnut milk is particularly recommended for people suffering from gastric acidity.

Chestnut milk can also replace cow milk for children with digestive problems. Naturally sweet, chestnut milk is very appreciated. But one of the main reasons why chestnut milk is especially good is its richness in minerals and calcium.

Thus, chestnut milk is sometimes recommended for people with osteoporosis, to solidify their bone structure. Rich in carbohydrates, the chestnut milk is recommended for breakfast to start the day.

Low in fat, chestnut milk is particularly popular with dieters. The plant milks are a very good alternative to cow’s milk, sheep milk and milk from other animals. With multiple benefits, chestnut milk is particularly popular for vegans and lactose intolerant people.

References

1. Ros, E. (2010). Health Benefits of Nut Consumption. Nutrients, 2(7), 652–682. http://doi.org/10.3390/nu2070652

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Mesolithic: No archaeological excavation has confirmed the hypothesis that indicates the period of the first crops of soy beans some 9000 years ago. We assume that soy beans came from central or northern China, perhaps Manchuria.

The art of coagulating soy milk to make tofu goes back to 164 BC. The famous Lord of Liu An-Nan Juai, philosopher, politician, keen on alchemy and Taoist meditation, experimented with soy to introduce a new element in the vegetarian diet of his Taoist friends.

In 1910, in France, a soy milk production unit was created in Paris. The soy bean crop was developed in the West in the early twentieth century. In the US, soy bean cultivation is carried out on a large scale. Soy has conquered the US market and gradually replaced the cotton due to its high oil content (20%).

Today, two thirds of soya bean crops in the US are used to feed pets and livestock, the rest is exported to Japan.

Soy milk and nutrition

Soy beans are simply pressed after cooking to extract a milky substance that can be used in all dishes where one would normally serve as cow’s milk: pastries, smoothies, sauces, custards, soufflés, puddings, etc.

Soy beverages fortified with vitamin A, D, B12, thiamine, zinc, calcium and unsweetened are vegetable drinks that have the most similar nutritional profile with respect to cow’s milk. Indeed, they contain about the same amount of protein, and similar amounts of vitamins and minerals. Since these drinks are made from vegetable ingredients (soy beans) unlike milk that comes from cows, they contain no trans fat, no cholesterol and less sugar (6-7 grams per cup).

Japanese people recover the skin (yuba) that forms the surface of the milk after it has been heated. They consume it or use it to make rice rolls or vegetables. Using a broad, shallow pan, we can recover a good amount of skin. Simply heat the milk after each collection and let it cool five to seven minutes. Remove skin with a wand slipped under the surface and hang it to drip.

Soy milk: a plant milk

In the collective mind, the simple word “milk” often evokes the idea of this whitish liquid generated by the cow. Yet all milk is not necessarily originating from animals.The soy milk picture, particularly popular with vegetarians as a protein source, and especially for vegans because of its vegetable origin.

In fact, soy milk is not even considered a dairy drink, since the drink is obtained by mixing water and soy, the germinated seed. Soy milk has almost identical qualities to cow’s milk. It contains no calcium, no lactose, making it a great alternative for individuals intolerant or allergic to carbohydrate in cow’s milk, for example.

One downside: soy is considered by many as “the other palm oil”, since the crop cultures are intensive and lead to deforestation.

Soy milk: nutritious qualities and benefits

From a nutritional perspective, soy milk and cow’s milk are very similar. If soy milk provides about 40 kcal per 100 ml of beverage, milk, semi-skimmed cow provides about 46. Also, if soy milk contains no lactose or calcium, it provides as much protein as cow’s milk, and several essential amino acids, all without saturated fatty acids, or even cholesterol.

Soy milk is a perfect product for people with elevated cholesterol and who want to continue to drink milk. By helping the body better regulate cholesterol, soy milk also appears to be a good ally against cardiovascular risks.

In addition, soy milk contains phytoestrogens, which may protect women reaching menopause against breast cancer. For these women, soy milk help fight against osteoporosis. But beware: these studies are not yet providing solid evidence that these phytoestrogens are good for the body … Soy milk also slows skin aging.

Soy milk: not recommended for all

Soy milk is not really recommended for children, and men should also monitor their consumption.

If the scientific community does not seem to agree on the real dangers of soy and soy milk on men and children, the fact is that this liquid contains phytoestrogen, like estrogen, this female hormone.

Thus, excessive consumption of soy milk in men and children could lead to hormonal disorders, for example, or early sexual maturation, while the soy milk only consumption in children may lead to some deficiencies.

As if soymilk is deemed to protect women agains breast cancer, if the cancer is already declared, scientists do not know at present if continuing to drink soy milk is harmful or not to the patient.

Soy milk therefore has many advantages for man in general, and especially for women, people with lactose intolerant or vegetarians. However, as with any food, we must learn to consume with moderation.

How to make homemade soy milk?

Ingredients

• 1 litre of water
• 100 g of soy beans

Preparation

1. Before making your soy milk, you must begin by soaking the soy seeds for at least 8 hours (if it’s more, don’t worry, you can put them to soak when you think about it and make soy milk when you want). Soaking softens the soy seeds and starts the process of germination, which increases the nutritional quality of the seeds. Dry soy seeds are almost round, once soaked they look like white beans!
2. When the soy seeds have increased in volume, you need to rinse them carefully. For 100 g of dry soy seeds, add 500 ml of water, mix carefully for 1 minute in the blender. Add another 500 ml of water. Mix and blend.
3. Cook in a pan for 50 minutes stirring regularly.
4. Pour the milk in a nut milk bag and press to remove a maximum of juice.
5. Pour the soy milk in a bottle and that’s it.

You get about 1 litre of milk. Leave to cool before serving beautiful recipes!

Tips

You can recover the remaining pulp, called okara, for other delicious recipes. Soy milk can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days.

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