Each season has its own charm, and autumn is proof of this. All trees are decorated with crimson and golden foliage, pleasing to the eye. And the minus of this season is that the variety of fruits and vegetables that summer is so rich in is ending. But autumn brings a lot of useful things, we just don’t know how to use them all correctly.
For example, oak. Everyone has heard about the healing properties of its bark, but not only it is valuable. The fruits of oak - acorns bring much benefit . Our ancestors also knew about them. Today, some doubt whether acorns can be eaten by people? This article will help dispel all doubts and talk about this small but unusual fruit.
Origin
Before you know whether acorns are edible, you should familiarize yourself with their very interesting origin. Oak is a self-sufficient plant. It is monoecious, which means that both male and female flowers appear on it at the same time.
The former differ in length, they hang beautifully from the branches, have a yellow-green color. Often they are mistaken for young oak foliage. The second type of flowers, female, is less expressive, and only a more experienced specialist can distinguish them. In their form, they resemble small grains of green with red tops. They grow separately, on thin branches.
Together, these flowers give acorns that appear in time for fall. The named fruits are very sensitive: if there is not enough moisture, then they die, and excess heat leads to decay. Cold is also harmful to them, so preserving the seeds is not so simple.
Under natural conditions, fallen foliage protects them reliably, where enough moisture is preserved, and a thick layer of snow protects from frost and dryness.
Composition
Whether acorns are edible for humans, their composition will tell. They contain protein substances, up to 40% starch, up to 4.5–5% oil, as well as tanides, sugars, and quercetin glycoside.
Scientists have found that the composition of acorns made it possible to make the first bread from them, and not from cereals. Oak has become that plant, the fruits of which were ground into flour and cakes were baked from it five thousand years ago.
Prevailing stereotype
For many, the question of whether acorns can be eaten by people seems completely absurd. And this is a very expected reaction, because it is difficult to call this fruit a regular in our diet. Therefore, people are convinced that acorns are suitable only as animal feed or as material for souvenirs or applications. But in fact, they can be incredibly useful and help in the treatment of various diseases.
Beneficial features
Acorns are used as pet food because they have high nutritional properties. From fables and fairy tales, we know how pigs and wild boars are not indifferent to this fruit.
For a long time, acorns saved the people in hunger, for which they began to be associated with poverty and failure. But should a prejudice detract from all the benefits that the described type of nut contains?
It can create serious competition for natural coffee, olives and even cocoa beans.
As a medicine, acorns have an enveloping, bactericidal and antitumor property.
In addition, they act as a component of decoctions and mixtures for the treatment of female diseases, eliminating problems with the genitourinary system and increasing potency.
They also have a beneficial effect on the affected digestive system due to poisoning, colitis or disorders. Effectively, oak fruits fight pain in gums and teeth.
Whole list
If you still doubt whether acorns can be eaten, then take a look at this impressive list. These fruits are used in the preparation of:
- coffee;
- infusions;
- jelly;
- soup with milk;
- flour;
- porridge.
The most common method of making this type of nut is to roast or dry it. Sweets are made from them, covered with sugar or caramel. No less appetizing option for the use of acorns can be called baking cakes or cakes.
Since this is a type of nut, oil is made from them by grinding. Especially inventive culinary specialists from Asia began to use acorns for the preparation of starch, from which later they make noodles or jelly.
Important to remember
Experts believe that doubts about whether acorns can be eaten by people have arisen due to the bitter smell of these floors. Peeled, they exude it quite strongly.
The reason for this is the high content of tannic acid. It is present in raw acorns and is very harmful to humans. Therefore, it is important to remember that before eating, they should be boiled or soaked in water. To do this, acorns are peeled, then cut into four parts. Only then they are filled with water and left in this form for two days. When the acid is gone, the fruits will become sweet.
The question of whether acorns can be eaten by people was resolved millennia ago. Despite the fact that over time, our diet has noticeably enriched, and many products have become available not only to the privileged sectors of society, as it was once, do not forget about the beneficial properties of some of them. Fans of the unusual can always taste acorns and add one more item to the list of unusual culinary experiments.