Buckeye nuts, also known as Ohio buckeye nuts or horse chestnuts, are the seeds of the buckeye tree, native to eastern North America. While buckeye nuts may look similar to chestnuts, they have distinct uses and health benefits. Buckeye nuts can be used for artisanal flour, skincare products, and even folk medicine.
What are buckeye nuts?
Buckeye nuts grow on buckeye trees, a species of tree in the soapberry family that is native to Ohio and eastern parts of the United States. The tree gets its name from the resemblance of its shiny brown nut to the eye of a buck deer. Despite their name, buckeye nuts are not actually nuts but rather the seeds of the buckeye tree.
Buckeye nuts grow within a round, green, spiked outer covering, which splits open in fall to reveal the inner seed. The seed itself has a dark brown outer shell with a tan inner flesh. While they resemble chestnuts, buckeye nuts are inedible raw due to high levels of tannins and glucosides which can cause nausea, muscle twitches, and paralysis when consumed.
Culinary uses
While toxic when raw, buckeye nuts become edible once processed to remove the harmful compounds. When properly prepared, buckeye nut flour can be used similarly to wheat flour in baked goods. The nuts can also be boiled and peeled to make them safe to consume as a snack.
To make buckeye flour, start by drying the nuts then grind them into a fine powder. Sift the flour to remove any small fragments. Due to the strong, earthy flavor of buckeyes, the flour is often best used in recipes with chocolate, spices, or other strong flavors.
Try substituting up to 1/4 of the wheat flour in recipes with buckeye flour. The flour contains no gluten so can be used to make gluten-free baked goods. Some delicious treats to try making with buckeye flour include:
- Brownies
- Pancakes
- Cookies
- Muffins
- Quick breads
You can also boil peeled buckeye nuts until tender, around 15-20 minutes, to have them as a snack. The boiled nuts have a mild, earthy flavor similar to water chestnuts. Add them to fruit salads, cereals, or eat them plain with a sprinkle of salt.
Skincare benefits
In addition to culinary uses, buckeye nuts can provide skin benefits when used topically. They contain tannins, vitamin E, and other antioxidants that are nourishing for the skin.
The tannins act as an astringent to tighten, tone, and firm skin. Vitamin E improves moisture retention to hydrate the skin. The antioxidants protect against UV damage and environmental pollution.
Buckeye nuts can be turned into various natural skincare preparations including:
- Face masks – Ground buckeye meal mixed with water or milk makes an exfoliating and clarifying face mask.
- Cleansers – Liquid extracts from the nuts act as toning cleansers.
- Body scrubs – Mix ground buckeye with oil to exfoliate skin.
- Lotions – Nut oils and butters moisturize when added to lotion recipes.
The antimicrobial properties of buckeye may also help combat acne when used in face washes and masks. Try using buckeye skincare products 1-2 times per week for smoother, healthier looking skin.
Medicinal properties
Various parts of the buckeye tree have been used traditionally for their medicinal properties. Native Americans used the bark as a tonic and to treat intestinal worms. Early American pioneers turned the tree into cough syrup and a pain reliever.
Components of buckeye nuts that give them these potent effects are saponins, tannins, flavonoids, and glycosides. However, these compounds can also cause toxicity if the nuts are eaten raw or unprocessed.
Native Americans would cook and leech buckeye nuts to remove the toxins, then use the safe nuts and bark to remedy:
- Coughs
- Asthma
- Rheumatism
- Parasites
- Fever
- Wounds – Poultice from the bark
Today, medical research on buckeye constituents like aescin shows promising anti-inflammatory abilities that may be helpful for chronic conditions. But more studies still need to be done on the medicinal efficacy and safety of buckeye.
It is not currently recommended to ingest buckeye nut products without first consulting your healthcare provider.
Other uses
In addition to food and medicine, buckeye nuts have served various purposes throughout history including:
- Dye – Brown dye can be made from the leeched nuts and bark.
- Fishing bait – Nut meats can be threaded onto fishing hooks to catch catfish.
- Ornaments – Buckeye nuts make rustic, natural decorations, like in wreaths and garlands.
- Fuel – Nut shells and hulls can provide biomass for heating fuel.
- Livestock feed – After processing to remove toxins, the pulp can be fed to livestock.
The glossy brown nuts are also considered a good luck charm by some and are carried as an amulet. The connection to Ohio has made the buckeye the official state tree and given rise to the term “buckeye” for a resident of Ohio.
Where to find buckeye nuts
Buckeye trees grow wild across eastern North America, reaching from the Great Plains to the Atlantic Coast and into Canada. They proliferate best in moist soil along rivers and streams.
The native range includes:
- South Dakota
- Nebraska
- Kansas
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Missouri
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- Ontario, Canada
Buckeye trees start producing nuts after around 10 years of growth. Gather nuts in fall when the outer hull splits. Wear gloves to collect nuts from the ground to avoid contact with the irritating spikes.
You can also forage for nuts still on the branches. Use a stick to knock green hulls open and dislodge the inner seeds.
If you don’t live within the natural habitat of buckeye trees, you may be able to find buckeye products at specialty stores. Buckeye flour, soaps, and nut oils can sometimes be found at health food stores, gourmet shops, or online.
How to prepare and eat buckeye nuts
Buckeye nuts require processing before they are safe to eat. Here is a simple process to prepare buckeye nuts:
- Wash nuts thoroughly in cold water to remove dirt and debris.
- Cut nuts in half or quarters and remove the inner seed. Discard outer brown hulls.
- Place inner seeds in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
- Drain seeds and return to pot. Cover again with water and boil for 15-20 minutes until tender.
- Drain seeds and allow to cool. Peel off the thin brown outer layer.
- Rinse peeled seeds again. Now the white nutmeats are ready to use.
Boiling leeches out the bitter, toxic tannins. The nutmeats can be eaten as a snack, added to recipes, dried and ground into flour, or turned into nut butter.
Enjoy buckeye nuts in these tasty ways:
- Roasted for snacking
- In trail mixes
- In baked goods like muffins and breads
- As a substitute for chestnuts in recipes
- As nut butter on toast for breakfast
Store unused peeled nuts in their cooking liquid in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. You can also freeze boiled buckeye nuts for later use.
Conclusion
While toxic when raw, the American buckeye nut has served many purposes once processed to remove harmful compounds. Buckeye nuts can provide flavor and nutrition when used as an edible flour. They also have benefits for skin health and traditional medicinal uses. Foraging for these wild nuts connects us to the natural bounty of the land and the resourcefulness of our ancestors.
