Acorns

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Acorns represent the fruits of the oak tree Quercus, which is found in many varieties. Representatives of this genus are distributed on several continents. They can be seen in the USA, Mexico, China, Germany, England, France, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Serbia.

In our country oaks are also very common, and with them the acorns. In different parts of the country they are known by a specific name. Besides acorns, the fruit of the oak tree is called acorn, acorn, acorn, bonito, fat, etc.

Acorns are compact in size. They are between one and five centimeters long, and their circumference reaches 1.5 and 3.5 centimeters. Acorns have one seed (sometimes more), which is covered by a brittle shell.

The seeds ripen in about six months or a year. Sometimes ripening takes up to 18 months. Acorns are also equipped with something like a hat. In the beginning, these fruits are greenish, but with the progress of autumn they acquire a yellowish to brownish color.

Once detached from the tree and falling to the ground, the acorn is usually buried by forest dwellers and forms small roots. Thanks to them, a tender sapling appears, which initially develops relatively slowly, but in the last years of its life it grows quickly.

Acorns are used for food by a number of animals, including squirrels and wild boars. They can also be consumed by humans, as long as they are processed properly. Otherwise, their consumption may be unfavorable for the human body.

Composition of acorns

Acorns have a rich composition that determines their healing effect. They are a source of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, as well as water and protein. They contain a certain amount of amino acids such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, leucine, lysine, proline, tryptophan, histidine, cysteine and others. In the composition of acorns you will also find copper, manganese, zinc, phosphorus, iron and calcium. A bunch of studies show in acorns there is vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6.

History of acorns

Strange as it may seem to us today, someday acorns have played a major role in the livelihoods of many nations around the world. According to some experts, during the famine the ancient Greeks and Japanese often consumed these small hard fruits. Flour can be made from acorns, but this idea is not very common in modern cooking.

The Indians crushed them and put them in sacks, which they then tied to stones by the rivers. In this way, the water washed away their bitterness. Over the centuries, they have also been used as ordinary nuts. Coffee was also produced from them. They are also valued for their ability to fight some health problems. They are also prescribed for alcoholism.

Storage of acorns

Acorns are collected when they are well ripened. They are dried in the sun, after which they can be stored in dry and dark places for a year or a little longer. It is best to keep them in warehouses and basements. Of course, they must be carefully packed so that they are not attacked by squirrels, mice or other rodents that use them for food.

Cooking acorns

Although today acorns are not the most used product in cooking, we can not ignore the fact that they are suitable for cooking purposes. They can be soaked and dried, then eaten without being subjected to heat treatment. They are also suitable for baking on a plate or oven. As already mentioned, they are suitable for flour production.

Once baked, they can also be used to prepare a hot drink. It is used as a coffee substitute. To make coffee, acorns they should be well dried in the sun until the fruit is freed from the shell. Then the acorns are cut into pieces and rinsed in boiling water several times.

After washing, they can be dried in the oven at low temperature. The dry pieces are ground to a powder using a kitchen chopper. Take one teaspoon (or more if you prefer stronger coffee) of the resulting powder and bring to a boil with 300 ml of water. Then strain. Optionally sweetened with honey or sugar.

Benefits of acorns

The health benefits of acorns have been known to mankind since time immemorial. Due to their rich content, they have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and diuretic effects. Acorns are highly valued by folk healers in many countries because they manage to relieve spasms and inflammation. However, according to experts, medicinal acorns can be collected not from all oaks, but only from those that are more than half a century old.

The beneficial effects of acorns don't end there. It turns out that they actively fight many bacteria, have a tonic and antitumor effect. Oak fruits are used for bleeding and gum and tooth problems. They are also effective for women's problems and urination. In folk medicine in some countries they stand out as an aphrodisiac. Acorn infusions are also taken for asthma, cough, hypertension, upset stomach and other diseases.

Folk medicine with acorns

To improve digestion, folk medicine recommends an infusion of acorns (ground). To do this, you must first gather from the ground ripe acorns. Then spread them out in a dry and dark place so they can dry. After 3-4 weeks, the acorns are ready for further processing. They are cleaned from the lid and peeled.

Peeled nuts are washed, dried and ground. To prepare a tincture of them, take a teaspoon of the resulting pollen. It is poured into a tea cup of boiling water, then left to cool. The cold decoction is filtered. This amount is divided into three parts and drunk within one day.

Acorn damage

Although useful, acorns can also be dangerous to health. According to some experts, they contain a toxic substance that can cause various ailments. If acorns are soaked in water or subjected to heat treatment, their dangerous component is destroyed.