Water chestnut is a vegetable which is native to China. It is one of the common vegetables found in the Chinese households. If you wonder what this is, this is the vegetable which is commonly known in India as paniphal or sinnghara. Though known as water chestnut, this vegetable is in no way related to chestnut or is part of the family of nuts. This is a seasonal aquatic vegetable which is grown in the marshes, ponds and seasonal perennial lakes. Even though it is a seasonal vegetable, it is available in canned form throughout the year. This vegetable belongs to a plant family called sedge, which is a type of marshy grass with the edible part at the bottom. Most of this plant is seen submerged under water with its leaves floating over the water surface. The fruit of this plant is called water chestnut, and its seeds are the edible portion.
The seeds are in a triangular shape and has white color with a mild sweet flavor. The seed is coated with 2 or 4 blunt projections which are very hard to break and is usually removed by either slicing the seed or boiling it and making it softer. What makes this vegetable apart is its crunchy texture and soft mild flavor. The crunchiness remains even after it is boiled or canned. Chestnut seeds can be eaten either raw or boiled, or can even be added as a filling addition to dishes. These seeds are highly nutritious and are fat free and have low calories. Compared to the canned seeds, fresh water chestnut seeds have double the amount of zinc, potassium, and vitamins B and E. because of its remarkable nutritional composition and medicinal properties; it is used in ayurveda and unani medicines. Let us see the important benefits of water chestnut for its skin, hair and health.
Skin Benefits of Water Chestnut:
For Skin Swelling:
To get relief from swelling in skin, you can apply paste made from water chestnut in such areas.
Measles Treatment:
Water chestnut is also helpful in treating conditions such as measles. For all those measles patients, water chestnuts boiled in water would make an excellent solution.
Treatment for Eczema:
For those who suffer from eczema, you can try applying water chestnut seed powder mixed with lemon juice.
Young Glowing Skin:
Consuming water chestnuts can help in making your skin appear more glowing and youthful. This is because of the detoxifying properties of water chestnut which helps in purifying the blood and thus removing toxins from our body.
Benefits of Water Chestnut for Hair:
Everyone wishes to have a healthy, lustrous, and damage free hair. Your hair also need adequate amount of nutrients to maintain its health, just like the rest of your body. Water chestnuts are something that is highly beneficial for your hair as it has essential nutrients such as potassium, zinc, vitamin B and vitamin E. they are also helpful in removing all those toxins from your body which can potentially damage your hair.
Health and Medicinal Benefits of Water Chestnut:
Anti Properties:
These seed also have antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer properties. All these come from the presence of antioxidants such as polyphenol and flavanoid. Water chestnut is helpful in strengthening our stomach and spleen.
As a Summer Coolant:
They also have excellent cooling properties that make them perfect to beat the scorching summer heat.
Body Coolant:
Water chestnut can act as an effective coolant for our body. Water chestnut can help in promoting salivation and also can quench your thirst. It is also helpful in controlling loose motion because of being cool, sweet heavy and bitter.
Cough Treatment:
You can use water chestnut powder to treat cough. Just grind water chestnuts and make it into powder form and mix it with water or juice and have it twice a day to get instant relief from cough.
Controls Common Health Problems:
Water chestnut juice is helpful in bringing problems such as diarrhoea and dysentery under control. It can be also used to treat problems such as sore throat, anaemia, fractures, bronchitis and leprosy.
For Urinary Infections Treatment:
Water chestnut is also found to be effective in treating different types of urine infections.
Good for Children and Adults:
If you are suffering from bad appetite, water chestnuts can give a solution to your problem. You can have it either raw or in the form of juice. It works well for both children and for adults.
Good for Pregnant Women:
Water chestnut is also helpful for women during pregnancy. It can reduce hypertension and can also help in increasing fetal growth. Dried water chestnut seeds are used for stopping bleeding and also to treat miscarriage related issues in women. These seeds also help in promoting mammary gland secretion of milk.
Healthy Food:
Water chestnut can be used as a perfect addition to your healthy food lifestyle. As said before, these seeds are high in nutrients and low in calories and fat. You will only have 0.1 grams of fat from consuming half a cup of water chestnut seeds, and hence this can be considered to be almost fatless. It would be a wise decision to add this as a part of your diet.
Jaundice Treatment:
Water chestnut has got detoxifying properties which make it beneficial for all those people who suffer from jaundice. It can act as a good tonic that helps in removing all toxins from the body. People who suffer from jaundice can have this seeds raw or in form of juice.
Rich in compounds:
Water chestnuts are rich in iodine and manganese and thus help in proper functioning of the thyroid glands.
Rich in Energy:
Besides all these, water chestnuts are also a good energy booster. It can drive away all the tiredness that you feel and can also control the flow of blood from your wounds.
Treats Stomach Problems:
Water chestnut extracts are effective in curing disorders such as nausea and indigestion. It is also a natural remedy for stomach related problems.
