The water chestnut, known in India as “Paniphal” or “Singhara” in the Hindu language, is a food native to China and is quite common in Chinese households. It is also known as the Chinese water chestnut, which is a grass-like plant native to Asian countries like China, India, the Philippines, and Japan. Unlike the name, it is not related to chestnut. It belongs to the plant family called sedge (Sedge), a type of marsh grass with edible roots at the bottom. More than half of the plant remains submerged in water, while the upper leaves are on the surface of the water.

Fruit or water chestnut are found under maturing leaves. The seed is the edible part of this plant. This seed is triangular and slightly sweet.

Chinese water chestnut or water chestnut is scientifically known as Eleocharis dulcis is an edible tuber that belongs to the sedge family of Cyperaceae and is native to Asia (China, Japan, India, Philippines, etc.), Australia, tropical Africa, and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is grown in many countries for its edible corms. Chinese water chestnut may be mistaken for the European type (Trapa natans) and another Chinese water chestnut (Trapa bicornis) which have dense floating leaves and produce a horn-shaped nut. These are not economically important and can become weeds. Bush Nut, Chinese water chestnut, Edible Spike Rush, Ground Chestnut, Spike Rush, Water Chestnut, and Water Nut are some of the popular common names of Chinese Water chestnuts. Water chestnut is not a nut at all, but an aquatic vegetable that grows in marshes, underwater, in the mud and has a delicate taste and a crunchy texture that makes it ideal in stir-fried and sautéed vegetable dishes or simply raw in a salad.

Plant

Water chestnuts are leafless, tuberous, rush-like, and marginal aquatic perennial vegetables found growing in mud in margins of Shallow lakes, ponds, paddy fields, swamps, and marshes and prefer sunny locations and normally grows well in rich, friable soil, well manure, or fertilized in shallow water. Chestnuts are grown in water and are often rotated with the rice crop. Plants grow from 50 to 200 cm tall and the stem is erect, terete, tufted, 40-200 cm tall, 3-10 mm in diameter, longitudinally striate, distinctly transversely septate, the intercept 5-12 mm long, hollow, smooth, greyish to glossy dark green colored. They produce many flowers which are very small and occur on the tips of the culms. Flowers are generally produced before the plant reaches its height of vegetative growth. The plants have elongated stolons with a tuber attached to it at their bottom. Due to the absence of leaves, photosynthesis in plants is carried out by the culms or stems.

Fruit

Water chestnut is a tuberous, aquatic perennial vegetable most likely grown for its edible, dark brown tubers (corms) than it is grown for ornamental purposes. Water chestnut is not a nut at all, but an aquatic vegetable that grows in marshes, underwater, in the mud. Water chestnut is a small, round gladiola bulbs vegetable about 2-4 cm in diameter that has a thin brown skin and crunchy, juicy, sweet, and fragrant white flesh. It has a fresh, delicate taste and mild flavors like a blend between apple, chestnut, and coconut and crunchy texture ideal for stir-fries and sautéed vegetable dishes or simply raw in a salad. It holds an important place in Oriental cuisines. Because of its amazing taste, Chinese water chestnut is a popular ingredient in Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines as well.

History

Water Chestnut plant is indigenous to the old world tropics- tropical West Africa and Madagascar to southern Asia, Indian Ocean Islands, south-east Asia, southern China, Taiwan and Japan, Melesia, northern Australia, and eastward to the Pacific in Melanesia and Micronesia. At present, it is grown throughout the world because of its edible corms.

Health benefits of Water Chestnut

It has a sweet mild flavor and crunchy texture. Due to its high nutrition content, it becomes an excellent food source. Due to its medicinal properties, it is used in Ayurvedic medicines. The health benefits of water chestnuts are discussed below:

1. Proper Growth

Water chestnuts contain a sufficient amount of Copper which is vital for normal growth and health. Thus, it is very important to include this mineral in balanced levels in your regular diets. It is supportive in the protection of the skeletal, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. Normal and healthy growth of organs and tissues, as well as their proper oxygenation from an ample red blood cell concentration, would be impossible if your body is lacking copper. A copper deficiency is seen in many countries and is reflected in the number of birth and growth defects in children of those nations.

2. Protects Eye Health

Poor diet or nutrient deficiencies are actually fundamental reasons for countless eye diseases. Research has shown that that taking vitamin B6 along with other vitamins, like folate, can help with the prevention of eye disorders and loss of vision. Vitamin B6-rich food like water chestnut is one of the best options for getting a sufficient amount of vitamin b6 since it has 0.407 mg of vitamin b6 which is 31.31% of the daily recommended value. Vitamin B6 is considered to help slow the beginning of certain eye diseases as well as age-related macular degeneration.

3. Provide Energy

Almost all regular activities need energy. Even walking or breathing needs energy. The main source of energy required for your daily requirements comes from glucose. The source of glucose is the starches and sugars you consume. Starches and sugars get broken down into simple sugar with help of insulin during the process of digestion. Glucose then enters the cell wall. The extra sugar available from food gets stored in muscles, the liver, or other parts of your body. This then gets converted into fat later. Water chestnut consists of 29.69 g of carbohydrate which is 22.84% of the daily recommended value.

4. Migraine

Those people who do not get sufficient riboflavin have a tendency to experience repeated headaches and even migraines. However, when a person gets enough riboflavin, the number of headaches is reduced. A vitamin b2 or riboflavin-rich food like water chestnut is recommended to include in your regular diet to solve this problem. One experimental research of 55 patients displayed that those who took 200-400 mg of riboflavin had considerably fewer migraines and headaches than those given the placebo. Research proves that vitamin b2 helps to reduce both the frequency and intensity of headaches.

5. Helps Prevent Osteoporosis

Manganese along with other minerals, like calcium, copper, and zinc can help reduce bone loss, particularly in older women who are more vulnerable to bone fractures and weak bones. Manganese deficiency also poses a risk for bone-related complaints since manganese helps with the formation of bone regulatory hormones and enzymes involved in bone metabolism.

According to research, taking manganese along with other bone-supporting nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, copper, and boron can improve bone mass in women with weak bones, which is beneficial to naturally treat osteoporosis. So manganese-rich food like water chestnuts must be included in your regular diet to prevent osteoporosis problems.

6. Good for the heart

Water chestnut helps to keep the body healthy simply by lowering blood pressure. People suffering from hypertension and congestive heart disease can get significant relief from their symptoms by consuming a high potassium diet. Water chestnut, when included as an essential element in nutrition, helps normalize the heartbeat. It also reduces the incidence of heart arrhythmia and heart attack. High potassium foods when combined with a diuretic are known to decrease the incidence of stroke by an astonishing 60% in men.

7. Prevents Alzheimer’s disease

Vitamin B1 found in water chestnut is supposed to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. People suffering from this disease have benefited when treated with vitamin B1 supplements of 100 mg per day. There are placebo-controlled trial researches that are ongoing to determine more about the mechanism by which this occurs.

8. Helps Wound Healing

Research has shown that vitamin B5 found in water chestnut help in treating skin reactions from radiation therapy and may speed up wound and cut healing. It is also known to delay the appearance of premature aging, like wrinkles and dark spots on the skin.

9. Helps Maintain Dental Health

Phosphorus is essential for maintaining teeth and gum health. Calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus all play an important role in the formation and maintenance of dental health by supporting tooth enamel, jaw-bone mineral density, and holding the teeth in place, too — thus, these minerals and vitamins can also help heal tooth decay.

Children particularly need foods high in phosphorus and calcium-rich foods while they are developing adult teeth in order to form teeth’ hard structure. Vitamin D is needed along with phosphorus to regulate the body’s balance of calcium and improve its absorption during tooth formation. Vitamin D can also help to decrease inflammation of gums that are associated with periodontal gum disease. Water chestnut consists of 78 mg of phosphorus which is 11.14% of the daily recommended value.

10. Helps PMS Symptoms

Taking a vitamin E supplement 2-3 days before and 2-3 days after a menstrual period helps to reduce anxiety, cramping, and cravings that are related to PMS. Water chestnut consists of a considerable amount of Vitamin E that helps to decrease pain severity and duration, and it can reduce menstrual blood loss. It does this by balancing your hormones naturally and it helps to keep your menstrual cycle regulated.

How to Eat

• The corm has a crispy, white flesh and can be consumed raw, somewhat boiled, fried, cooked, grilled, pickled, candied, or canned.
• Canned and peeled water chestnuts, whole or sliced are normally sold in all Asian food stores around the world.
• The corm is a common ingredient in many Asian cuisines and delicacies.
• They are commonly consumed raw and fresh as dessert, sometimes sweetened in China and Southeast Asia.
• Chinese water chestnut may be either used as a vegetable or in starch (flour) manufacture.
• Due to its crisp, sweet, apple-like flesh, honn matai is extensively eaten out of hand in China as a substitute for fresh fruits.
• Chinese water chestnuts are sliced, diced, or grated with other vegetables in an omelet, soups, chop suey, salads, etc., or in stews, curry.
• It is often shredded for meat and fish dishes and is used as a common ingredient in stuffing and filling for dim sum.
• A peeled meditation bamboo skewer is a popular and common item sold by street or train hawkers.
• Minced matai is made into puddings and fritters including matai ko, a kind of cake that is bought from portable made shift kitchens on the street corners or in tea houses.
• Matai is often served boiled or steamed as a winter vegetable sometimes in a sauce of sugar, butter, and flour.
• Two popular Chinese recipes are jellied water chestnut prepared from groundwater chestnut, agar, and sugar and water chestnut meatballs made with minced water chestnuts, beef or pork, scallions, ginger, corn starch, salt, and soy sauce.
• Corms are usually made into chips in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Other traditional uses and benefits of Water Chestnuts

Here is how Water chestnuts are beneficial to consume, Read on to know more about the water chestnut benefits and advantages for health and beauty.

• Water chestnuts act as a coolant for the body. So, work well for those suffering from upset stomach and loose motions. It is also helpful in indigestion and nausea.
• It is great for those on a diet plan as they are high in nutrients and almost fat-free while being low on calories. So, you can munch on as many of these, as you like. These are very mildly sweet in taste and very crunchy so, a true delicacy.
• Those suffering from jaundice should eat water chestnuts as this vegetable helps the body in detoxification.
• Those suffering from thyroid issues would also benefit from it as it is rich in Iodine and Manganese.
• Water Chestnuts are packed with lots of antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols. As a result, they boost the body’s free-radical fighting potential and thus have anti-aging and anti-cancer properties.
• Dried water chestnuts can be powdered. This powder should be taken with plain water or any fruit or vegetable juice, for that matter. You would notice relief from cough within a few days of regular consumption.
• If your kid does not eat properly, chestnuts can be used as a natural remedy to improve appetite.
• The flour made out of water chestnut is very beneficial for pregnant women and even post-pregnancy. They are healthy during pregnancy and control bleeding after delivery. Also, it affects milk secretion positively.
• Water chestnuts or singhara clear out toxins from the blood, hence purifying it. This naturally improves, skin texture and complexion and also keep acne in check.
• If you feel low on energy and tired, you may try water chestnuts as they are refreshing to eat while being low in carbohydrates. They keep your metabolism kicking.
• They are known to keep blood pressure under control by preventing water retention and regulating sodium levels in the body.
• Water chestnuts are rich in the mineral Potassium which is essential for proper muscular and neural functioning.
• Boil some water chestnuts in water and set off the water to cool down. Consuming this water during the acute phase of illness during Measles helps in providing relief from symptoms.
• The water chestnuts can be sun-dried and powdered. This powder is then mixed with lemon juice and applied on eczematous skin. This home remedy, when used regularly, can provide a good amount of relief to inflammation and redness on the skin.
• Similarly, powdered peels of water chestnuts can also be mixed with rose water to provide aid in case of skin inflammations.
• Consuming chestnuts regularly can give you healthy and lustrous hair. This is because this veggie is rich in a variety of minerals like potassium, zinc, vitamin E, and B.
• Due to the presence of the mineral Zinc, it acts as a natural promoter and accelerator of wound healing.
• Due to the presence of vitamin E, water chestnuts help in improving fertility.
• Consumption of water chestnuts during pregnancy helps in improving Fetal growth.
• The fruits of the water chest are helpful in anemic individuals. Also, it helps in better and quicker healing of bone fractures.
• Water chestnut is rich in flavonoid antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds that help to reduce the infections caused by microorganisms. Water chestnut has various properties like anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial properties that protect us from various diseases. Cancer cells get inactivated by consuming this special fruit and also inhibit the further growth of cancer-causing cells.
• It helps to reduce fatigue by providing sufficient energy to keep us activated.
• It reduces the symptoms that cause insomnia and bad taste.
• As it fights against microbes, hence it helps to give relief from the common cold and flues.

Water Chestnut Benefits For Hair:

• Water chestnut also has hair benefits which are rich in several nutrients in order to maintain proper health conditions. It is rich in nutrients like vitamin B and E and contains minerals like zinc and potassium. It helps to maintain the healthy condition of hair and in addition, makes it damage-free and lustrous. A healthy hair condition enhances your beauty by making you look beautiful. Antioxidants provide protection from the free radicals and also help to remove toxic substances.

Water Chestnut Benefits For Skin:

• This is also beneficial for our skin. It keeps our body and skin hydrated due to the presence of a high amount of water in this fruit. Hydrating effect is really very crucial to protect the skin from anti-aging and hence provide a youthful skin. It can be utilized in making face packs using the powdered skin of the water chestnuts. The paste is applied to the affected swollen areas to provide relief. Also, the seed of this is quite helpful which can be used in powdered form with lemon for eczema remedy. People suffering from measles should regularly have a water chestnut that is boiled in water to provide an effective solution.

Water Chestnut Benefits For Pregnant Women:

Water chestnut is also helpful for pregnant women and also for babies. It helps in the proper secretion of milk by the mammary glands. Miscarriage risk in pregnant women is treated by water chestnut. Bleeding is mainly stopped or reduced by the dried seeds. Hypertension is the main criterion during pregnancy and that would affect the health of the baby. Hence, water chestnut improves the growth of the fetus by providing proper nutrients. In order to protect pregnant women from hemorrhage, water chestnut is consumed in the form of porridge. Water chestnut controls us from anemia and blood loss. Proper flow of blood is necessary for proving energy to our body in order to keep us tiresome.

Water Chestnut Benefits For Body Temperature:

Water chestnut helps to remove internal heat from our body. Thus maintaining the proper body temperature is highly essential for our body function. Digestion problem is at par due to proper body temperature. The powdered form of water chestnut is really very beneficial for the stomach and intestine. This natural fruit has a great advantage on our bodies. Also, the nausea problem is kept away by using the extract from water chestnut. It keeps us relieved from the common cold and cough. Consuming water chestnut regularly with juice or water is highly beneficial for our health.

This natural food item has a lot of benefits. This seasonal food obtained from the plant is very common in India and China. It can be eaten by cooking and it does not lose its nutritional power. Here, we have discussed 25 water chestnut benefits that are highly essential for our health. I hope, after reading this article, you must be aware of the large list of health and beauty benefits of water chestnut.

Other Facts

• Stems are used for making sleeping mats in Sumatra, Sulawesi, and skirts in Papua New Guinea.
• They are also used as cattle feed or as mulch.

References

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