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Chestnuts have a long history, dating back about 2,000 to 3,000 years or even earlier. In the oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin Shang period, the word "chestnut" appeared frequently, witnessing that chestnut had been widely cultivated and eaten at that time. According to archaeological discoveries, as early as 6,000 years ago, there were ruins of chestnut nuts in the Neolithic site of Banpo, Shaanxi, indicating that our ancestors had long regarded it as an important food source.
In the vast land of China, chestnuts are not only widely distributed, but also have their own flavors due to regional differences. From south to north, from east to west, chestnuts have their own merits, and there are some well-known producing areas that are famous throughout the country. For example, the chestnut in Luotian, Hubei Province, has become a leader in the market with its sweet and glutinous taste and storage resistance. Whenever the autumn wind rises, the mountains and forests of Luotian are full of heavy chestnuts, like golden lanterns, adding the joy of harvest to this land.
Another example is the chestnut of Hebei Province, also known as Jingdong chestnut, its thin skin and soft and glutinous sweet, known as the "hometown of Chinese chestnut", not only enjoys a good reputation in China, but also occupies a place in the international market. In addition, the chestnuts of Huairou in Beijing, the chestnuts in Taishan in Shandong, and the chestnuts in Dandong, Liaoning Province, etc., are also the leaders in China's chestnuts, and have won the love of consumers with their unique taste and rich nutritional value.
Chestnuts are not only delicious, but also carry rich cultural connotations. In ancient China, chestnuts were seen as a symbol of good fortune and a good harvest, and were often used as sacrifices to worship gods and ancestors. In traditional festivals, such as Laba porridge, Dragon Boat Festival dumplings, Chongyang cake and other traditional delicacies, there is no shortage of chestnuts. In literary works, chestnuts are often endowed with deep emotions and meanings, and have become frequent visitors to the writings of literati and ink writers.
From the "Chestnut of the East Gate, there is a practice family" in the "Book of Songs", to Du Fu's "Entering the Village, Tasting the Fruit and Chestnut Wrinkles" in the Tang Dynasty, and then to the "Fried Chestnut" of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, the literati and writers of the past dynasties have left countless poems and paintings praising chestnuts, making chestnuts occupy a unique position in Chinese culture. What kind of sugar is used to fry chestnuts with street sugar? White sugar, brown sugar, maltose? Perhaps, subvert your perception?
Most of the sugar-fried chestnuts on the market will use saccharin and glazing agents, mainly for cost and appearance considerations.
Saccharin is an organic chemical synthetic product, and when used as a food additive, its dosage is strictly controlled. In order to reduce costs, some merchants will choose to use saccharin instead of white sugar or maltose to fry chestnuts. The sweetness of saccharin is much higher than that of ordinary sugars, but it does not participate in metabolism in the human body, does not produce calories, and has no nutritional value. Consumption of saccharin in large quantities may affect the normal secretion of gastrointestinal digestive enzymes, reduce the absorption capacity of the small intestine, and reduce appetite. A large amount of saccharin ingested in a short period of time may also cause acute hemorrhage, which will adversely affect the liver and kidneys.
The glazing agent, which is actually a type of industrial paraffin, is used by some unscrupulous merchants in the production of sugar-fried chestnuts to increase the gloss and appearance of chestnuts. However, industrial paraffin wax is not a food additive and contains substances that are harmful to humans. Consumption of sugar-fried chestnuts containing industrial paraffin may cause serious harm to the health of consumers. In addition, if too much paraffin is added to the chestnuts during the frying process, it may also affect the taste and flavor of the chestnuts.
Regular sugar fried chestnuts are usually stir-fried using maltose or white sugar, and an appropriate amount of vegetable oil is added. Through the adhesion of syrup and the friction of round sand, the fluff and dirt on the surface of the chestnut can be removed, so that its color is bright and the shell is easy to peel off. Such sugar-fried chestnuts are sticky to the touch, and they are sweet and fragrant with chestnuts.
In order to avoid buying sugar-fried chestnuts with added saccharin and glazing agents, consumers can take the following measures when purchasing.
Observe the appearance: normal sugar-fried chestnuts have a natural color and will not be too shiny. If the surface of the chestnut is too smooth and reflective, paraffin may have been added.
Touch: Normal sugar-fried chestnuts will be a little sticky to the touch, because the sugar will remain on the chestnut shell after caramelization. If the chestnuts are slippery to the touch, paraffin may have been added.
Taste taste: Normal sugar-fried chestnuts taste glutinous and sweet, with a chestnut-flavored aftertaste. If the chestnuts are so sweet that they don't have a chestnut flavor and are astringent, there may be added saccharin.
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