Beechnuts can upset your stomach. But there are tips and tricks on how the nutrient-rich fruits of the beech can be made tolerable.

Beechnuts are the fruits of the common beech (Fagus sylvatica), which cover the forest floors in this country in autumn. Once more common, the thoroughly nutritious and delicious nuts are hardly noticed today. People often warn against eating beechnuts because of their toxicity. But are beechnuts really that poisonous or are they safe to eat? We answer all of these questions below.

Beechnuts: the ingredients

In themselves, beechnuts have a number of ingredients that made them commonly used as food in the past. On the one hand, the nutty fruits of the red beech are characterized by a high fat content of around 40%. This makes them a good source of energy, which was valued in past centuries. In addition, beechnuts contain several important minerals such as zinc and iron.

Beechnuts are amazingly nutritious for fruit

Are beechnuts poisonous to humans?

Anyone who wants to eat beechnuts should first be aware that the nuts are poisonous if handled incorrectly. They naturally contain a substance called fagin (after Fagus=beech), which leads to symptoms of poisoning in humans. In addition, the fruits contain oxalic acid and alkaloids, which can lead to stomach problems and worse poisoning when eaten. The critical amount to poison raw beechnuts varies from person to person, but no unnecessary risk should be taken.

Raw beechnuts are poisonous, roasted ones are not

The solution to this problem is to heat the beechnuts, which breaks down the toxins mentioned. Roasting or brewing the beechnuts have proven to be suitable methods, with which the toxins can be rendered harmless. So always play it safe and heat fresh beechnuts before eating them.

If the square nuts of the beech are properly cooked, they can be eaten without hesitation

Beechnuts: Toxic to dogs and other animals?

For dog owners, the question now arises: Can you still walk the dog in the beech forest? In general, raw beechnuts are not only poisonous to humans, but also to other animals such as dogs or horses. Therefore, when walking the dog, make sure that it does not eat any of the angular nuts. However, in any case, it takes more than a beechnut for your dog to be at risk of serious harm. If you behave abnormally, you should still consult a vet as a precaution.

In any case, it takes more than a beechnut for your animal to be at risk of serious harm

Beechnuts contain - like all nuts - many good ingredients. You can find more tasty representatives in our overview of the he althiest nuts.

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Trees