Xiangxi Chestnuts

Xiangxi Chestnuts

　　Xiangxi chestnuts are a specialty of Zhangjiajie, Hunan. Known as "woody grain," "iron-crop," and the "king of dried fruits," they account for about half of Hunan’s total chestnut production. These chestnuts are rich in nutrients, sweet and delicious, and are believed to benefit qi and strengthen the stomach, invigorate the spleen and kidneys, and promote blood circulation. The traditional product of Xiangxi, oil chestnuts, are large in size, brightly colored, and of high quality, with individual fruits weighing over eleven grams. Their carotene content is three to five times higher than that of ordinary varieties, and their protein content is 30% to 53% higher than that of chestnuts from Jiangsu and Zhejiang.