What Is Horse Chestnut Used For Common Horse Chestnut Uses

Horse chestnut is a tree native to parts of southeastern Europe. Its fruits contain seeds that resemble sweet chestnuts but have a bitter taste. Historically, horse chestnut seed extract was used for joint pain, bladder and gastrointestinal problems, fever, leg cramps, and other conditions.

What are horse chestnuts used for?

Horse chestnut seed and leaf are used for treating varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and swollen veins (phlebitis). Horse chestnut seed is used for diarrhea, fever, and enlarged prostate. Horse chestnut seeds can be processed so that the active chemicals are separated out and concentrated.

Is common horse chestnut edible?

Are horse chestnuts edible? They are not. In general, toxic horse chestnuts should not be consumed by people, horses or other livestock. Read on for more information about these poisonous conkers.

How long does it take for horse chestnut to work?

It is best to use a horse chestnut product that contains an exact amount of the labeled chemical. Check the label to be sure your product does not contain a toxic substance called "esculin." It may take up to 4 weeks before your symptoms improve.

Does horse chestnut affect blood pressure?

Horse chestnut extract appears to impair the action of platelets (important components of blood clotting). It also inhibits a range of chemicals in the blood, including cyclo-oxygenase, lipoxygenase and a range of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. These effects result in reduced inflammation and reduced blood pressure.

Is Horse Chestnut safe to take?

Summary Horse chestnut seed extract is generally safe to take or use topically. However, there are some reported side effects, interactions with certain medications, and safety concerns associated with certain medical conditions.

Can you roast horse chestnuts?

Chestnuts may be roasted in the oven, over a fire or even in the microwave. To roast chestnuts, be sure to score through the shell to ensure steam can escape and to prevent a messy and loud explosion. Scoring halfway around the equator works very well.

Is Horse Chestnut poisonous?

Horse chestnut contains significant amounts of a poison called esculin and can cause death if eaten raw. Be careful not to confuse Aesculus hippocastanum (Horse chestnut) with Aesculus californica (California buckeye) or Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye). Some people call any of these plants horse chestnut.

Why are they called horse chestnuts?

When the tree was brought to Britain in 1616 from the Balkans, it was called horse chestnut because the Turks would feed the seeds to their ailing horses. The tree is chiefly grown nowadays for ornamental purposes, in towns and private gardens and in parks, and along streets.

What animal eats horse chestnuts?

Conker conundrum

Despite all the fun to be had with the seeds of a horse chestnut tree, they do have a more serious side. Conkers can be mildly poisonous to many animals, causing sickness if eaten, although some animals can safely consume them, most notably deer and wild boar.

Does horse chestnut cream really work?

Most trials found horse chestnut more beneficial than placebo. For example, horse chestnut relieved pain better than placebo in six of the seven trials. In four of six trials measuring leg swelling, horse chestnut was significantly better. Four of eight trials found horse chestnut reduced itching.

Is Horse Chestnut good for skin?

Aescin has been shown to inhibit hyaluronidase, an enzyme that can break down the hyaluronic acid found in skin. As skin uses this as a moisturizing component, a reduction in this enzyme can lead to an increase in skin hydration. Horse Chestnut Extract has soothing, anti-irritant and toning properties on the skin.

What is the best supplement for varicose veins?

Niacin is a form of vitamin B3 known to aid in blood circulation and lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood. These benefits both reduce stress on the veins in your legs, thus decreasing the risk of further varicose veins. Niacin can be found in a variety of foods such as cereals, oats, and tuna.

Is Horse Chestnut safe for dogs?

Horse chestnut trees drop hard, dark brown nuts, or conkers, from September onwards. Just like the tree's bark, leaves and flowers, they can be fatal to dogs if ingested. Not only do they pose a choking risk due to their size and shape, they also contain a deadly toxin called Aesculin which is poisonous to pups.

Do squirrels eat horse chestnut?

Horse chestnut trees bud in the winter and are covered in a sticky residue. ... At this time squirrels will eat the ripe conkers but also bury others that may turn into future horse chestnut trees if buried before they dry out.

Can you be allergic to horse chestnut?

Horse chestnuts (conkers)

However, there have been cases of inhalant allergy to horse chestnut pollen and contact dermatitis (a skin rash) caused by handling horse chestnuts.

What is the benefit of chestnut?

Chestnuts remain a good source of antioxidants, even after cooking. They're rich in gallic acid and ellagic acid—two antioxidants that increase in concentration when cooked. Antioxidants and minerals like magnesium and potassium help reduce your risk of cardiovascular issues, such as heart disease or stroke.

Is horse chestnut cream good for spider veins?

Like vitamin K solutions, horse chestnut may successfully disguise the appearance of spider veins due to its anti-inflammatory properties. However, like vitamin K, this herb will not provide long-term relief from spider or varicose veins.

Can you microwave chestnuts?

Instructions: Use a knife to score an “X” on the pointy end of each chestnut. Then, place the nuts on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave at one minute intervals, until the outer shell starts to peel back slightly where you made your score (This usually takes 3-4 minutes, depending on your microwave).

How can you tell the difference between horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts?

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), which has similar nuts, but those of the sweet chestnut are smaller and found in clusters. The leaves are completely different, with sweet chestnut having single, long, serrated leaves and horse chestnut having hand-shaped leaves with deeply divided lobes or 'fingers'.

Can I boil chestnuts?

Method. Place chestnuts in a large deep saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Boil rapidly with the lid on for approximately 35 minutes, until the flesh is cooked and soft like mashed potato. ... Remove from the heat and allow chestnuts to sit in the hot water for 5-10 minutes, drain, and serve in a bowl.