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Discarded chestnut flowers transformed into antioxidant-rich tea
🇹🇷 Turkey /Health & Science

Discarded chestnut flowers transformed into antioxidant-rich tea

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Chestnut flowers, typically discarded after blooming, are being collected and dried to create a tea with high antioxidant value.
  • Researchers found the tea's antioxidant levels far exceed those of chestnut honey, suggesting it could boost the immune system and aid in cough relief.
  • The university is packaging the pure tea, while a local agricultural chamber is producing a blend with rosehip and hawthorn.

Chestnut flowers, usually swept from the ground after they fall, are now being harvested for their health benefits. Professor Ümit Serdar from OMÜ's Faculty of Agriculture is leading the effort to collect and dry these flowers, transforming them into a tea rich in antioxidants.

We are harvesting the flowers from chestnut trees. Chestnut flowers are crucial for pollination. They have both male and female catkins. The male catkins are currently in full bloom. After flowering, they fall to the ground. We harvest them then. We dry them like linden flowers. It makes a very valuable tea.

— Prof. Dr. Ümit SerdarExplaining the process of collecting and preparing chestnut flowers for tea.

"We are harvesting the flowers from chestnut trees," Serdar explained. "Chestnut flowers are crucial for pollination. They have both male and female catkins. The male catkins are currently in full bloom. After flowering, they fall to the ground. We harvest them then. We dry them like linden flowers. It makes a very valuable tea."

It's a super tea, especially for the immune system.

— Prof. Dr. Ümit SerdarHighlighting the health benefits of the chestnut flower tea.

Initial research indicates the tea's antioxidant capacity is significantly higher than that of chestnut honey. Serdar believes it can strengthen the immune system and offer relief for coughs and similar ailments. "It's a super tea, especially for the immune system," he stated.

A single tree can produce two to three times more flowers than fruit. Truly, the chestnut flower is very valuable.

— Prof. Dr. Ümit SerdarEmphasizing the economic and resource potential of chestnut flowers.

The university is selling the pure tea, while the Fatsa Agricultural Chamber is creating a bagged version, sometimes blended with rosehip and hawthorn. Serdar noted that a single tree can produce two to three times more flowers than fruit, highlighting the flower's underappreciated value. He also shared that while some find the tea's taste slightly bitter, adding lemon or cinnamon can improve its flavor, according to student surveys.

We conducted a survey with our students. The result was as follows: with the addition of lemon, that bitterness decreased somewhat. In fact, when cinnamon was added, a much nicer aroma was expressed by the students.

— Prof. Dr. Ümit SerdarDiscussing ways to improve the tea's flavor based on student feedback.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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