The chestnut season will start in Slovakia in two weeks.Like every year, most of us go to the parks to collect these most famous gifts of autumn and at home hide them under the pillows (for a good night’s sleep) or put them next to the TV (to absorb the radiation).Although chestnuts are considered a magical fruit in our country and we believe in their life-giving power, there is no research to confirm these assumptions.So is it worth picking chestnuts and taking them home?.
Chestnuts are the fruits and seeds of the edible chestnut – green on the outside, white on the inside, with spiny and fleshy shells.When the shells are ripe, they split open to release one or more hard balls covered in a shiny brown skin.
Our ancestors have always believed in the life-giving power of chestnuts – an old legend says that the first thing Štefan Bátory did after ascending the Polish throne was to bring an Italian architect to the country, whom he commissioned to plant his residence with chestnut trees – they were supposed to protect him from evil forces.It was believed that chestnuts distributed around the house absorb bad energy and accumulate it so that it does not circulate freely in all rooms and corners.After a month, the chestnuts were to be collected, thrown away and replaced with new ones.It is possible that this superstition is behind the belief that chestnuts can absorb electromagnetic radiation and it is worth placing them next to the TV or laptop.However, there are no current studies to confirm this – the positive effects of placing chestnuts under the pillow, next to the TV or in the purse are probably only psychological.
However, this does not mean that you should give up harvesting chestnuts in autumn – fruits have some surprising properties!
Chestnuts: How do they affect the body?
Chestnuts, as we know them, are a source of many valuable substances, such as:
Chestnuts strengthen blood vessels, thus preventing the formation of so-calledof spider veins. They improve blood circulation and reduce susceptibility to varicose veins – components obtained from chestnuts are therefore used to make ointments against varicose veins. Chestnuts also have a strong anti-cellulite effect..
The tannins contained in the infusion of chestnut flowers or leaves alleviate digestive problems and have a diastolic and anti-inflammatory effect.They are also very effective in treating diarrhea.
Products based on horse chestnut extracts are also used in cosmetics, especially in the production of creams and masks, especially for vascular skin.They also visibly reduce puffiness and bruising under the eyes.
Are chestnuts worth collecting? They have one surprising advantage
Although it is not proven that chestnuts can absorb ‘bad energy’ or electromagnetic radiation, it is worth collecting them in the fall and bringing them home.Their delicate smell, which they give off, is very irritating for… spiders.To scare them away effectively, just place chestnuts on window sills or near windows. Aphids also hate the smell of chestnuts. Just spray the plants with cooled water with chestnut powder to get rid of these pests once and for all.
