Beech nut baby food safe

Food Quality & Safety - Beech-Nut

The health and safety of your children is at the heart of what we do.

We know moms, dads, and caregivers depend on our commitment to safety and quality to help keep their children thriving. As parents ourselves, we are proud to feed our own children Beech-Nut products and have taken the responsibility to provide safe, nutritious food as our highest purpose for over 130 years.

We understand the recent Congressional Report and news stories have been unsettling to parents. We must continue to reduce heavy metal contaminants and continue developing science-based standards for limiting heavy metals found in baby food ingredients—In fact, for several years, Beech-Nut have worked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, through the Baby Food Council, on this very issue.

On March 5, 2021, the FDA issued an update to provide parents and caregivers information about the safety of current baby food and the importance of serving a variety of healthy foods to infants and toddlers. Here are some key takeaways from this FDA update that may address your biggest questions:

Is my baby’s food safe? Yes, the food is safe. The FDA regulates and routinely monitors levels of heavy metals in all foods. If the FDA finds that any foods pose a health risk, it takes steps to remove those foods from the market.
Is homemade baby food safer for my baby? Making food at home for your child likely does not reduce his or her potential exposure to metals. Rather, it may result in higher exposures, as the ingredients you use are not tested. Food manufacturers implement sophisticated testing tools & procedures that help detect & select ingredients with lower concentrations of elements, such as heavy metals.
Should I throw out Beech-Nut baby food? The FDA does not advise parents and caregivers to throw out packaged foods for babies and young children.
Should I eliminate certain foods from my child’s diet? The FDA advises that eliminating food groups from your child’s diet could lead to deficiencies in certain nutrients and potential poor health outcomes. Before eliminating any food items, parents and caregivers should speak with their child’s pediatrician about a diet that includes a variety of age-appropriate, healthy foods to ensure that the child is getting the nutrients he or she needs.
Where do heavy metals come from? Heavy metals are found naturally in our environment. They are in the soil, the water, the air—and are therefore unavoidable in our general food supply.

Our Testing Legacy

We start by carefully choosing high quality fruits and vegetables, sourcing from the purest, cleanest produce available. Unfortunately, contaminants persist in our environment and appear in our food supply—even in the fruits and vegetables you buy at the store or farmers’ market.

We’ve been testing our ingredients for contaminants, such as heavy metals and pesticides, since 1985. Beech-Nut prides itself on its partnerships with farmers to help ensure they understand, and can meet, the level of quality we require. We continuously improve our food safety and quality standards based on the most up-to-date, scientific technology. We also regularly seek guidance from sources, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Our Testing Associate, Kasha, in our Amsterdam, NY lab facility.

Going above and beyond standard:

The Baby Food Council Partnership

The EPA, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other government bodies set baseline standards for limits on pesticides and organic certification. Yet, our pesticide standards are the same or stricter than government requirements.

In 2019, Beech-Nut co-founded The Baby Food Council to create science-based standards for reducing levels of heavy metals in food products to as low as reasonably achievable, using best-in-class management techniques. Other members of The Baby Food Council include government agencies, industry experts, advocacy groups, Cornell University, and major baby food companies. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a technical advisor to the Council.

Beechnut Rice Cereal Baby Food Recall 2021: Reviews On What You Need To Know

Overview

Two disturbing Congressional baby food safety reports were released in February and September 2021, revealing that many of the most popular brands of baby foods were selling products that were tainted with dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals.

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Among the brand names mentioned were Gerber and Beechnut, well known for their baby and toddler food items.

The reviews and results of these reports are concerning because even low levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium can be detrimental to babies and growing toddlers.

Exposure to these heavy metals can cause permanent damage to your child’s brain development. It may lead to IQ decrease and behavioral issues. (1)(2)

New parents, and even unsuspecting seasoned parents, have enough worries on their plates regarding their children’s well-being to have to also think about issues of food contamination such as these.

In light of these recent findings, it’s becoming increasingly harder to trust big-name brands and the quality of their products.

Lawmakers and parents alike are now putting pressure on the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) to introduce stricter testing policies for companies such as Beech-Nut.

One of the main changes being pressed is to require baby food manufacturers to test the finished products for heavy metals rather than testing individual components before formulations are made.

Is There A Recall On 2021 Baby Food?

Despite the Subcommittee report showing that several products had high levels of heavy metals, Beech-Nut only issued this cereal recall:

Beech-Nut Single Grain Rice Cereal

Date Recalled: June 8, 2021

Company Name: Beech-Nut

Reasons For Recall: High arsenic levels

Affected Products: UPC Code# 52200034705; Product codes 103470XXXX and 093470XXXX; Expiration date of 01MAY2022 (3)

Return or Refund Processing: www. beechnut.com/ricecereal or 1-866-272-9417

Statement from Jason Jacobs, Beech-Nut’s vice president for food safety and quality: (4)

“The safety of infants and children is Beech-Nut’s top priority. We are issuing this voluntary recall because we learned through routine sampling by the State of Alaska that a limited quantity of Beech-Nut Single Grain Rice Cereal products had levels of naturally-occurring inorganic arsenic above the FDA guidance level, even though the rice flour used to produce these products tested below the FDA guidance level for inorganic arsenic.”

Beech-Nut In Subcommittee Congressional Report On Toxic Baby Foods

Which Baby Food Brands Are Toxic?

In a detailed Congressional Report on toxic products released last February 2021, the US Congress Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy asked the following baby food manufacturers for the test results of products reported to have high levels of toxic heavy metals: (5)

Beech-Nut Nutrition Company (Beech-Nut)
Nurture, Inc. (HappyBABY and HappyTOT)
Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Earth’s Best Organic)
Gerber
Campbell’s Plum Organics
Walmart Inc. (Parent’s Choice)
Sprout Foods, Inc. (Sprout Organic Foods)

Of these seven baby food companies, only Beech-Nut, Gerber, Nurture, and Hain submitted test results and internal testing policies to the Subcommittee. The rest refused to cooperate. (5)

Despite complying with the Subcommittee’s request, the four companies remained under fire. Their test results showed heavy metal levels in their ingredients and baby food products were several times the FDA’s maximum allowable levels. (5)

Instead of meeting FDA’s standards, the baby food manufacturers created their own internal standards with increased limits that make it appear as if their products passed. In reality, their results are several times higher than the FDA standards. (5)

Is Beech-Nut Baby Food Safe?

According to the first Congressional Report, Beech-Nut declared that all its raw materials passed internal standards. But the company set very high internal maximum levels, so the ingredients actually failed government regulations. (5)

Inorganic Arsenic:

300+ ppb in additives (used in different products)
913.4 ppb in raw materials

Mercury:

The company doesn’t test products or ingredients for mercury.

Lead:

Up to 886.9 ppb (raw materials)

Cadmium:

Up to 344.55 ppb (raw materials)

Second Congressional Report

In September 2021, the Subcommittee submitted a follow-up report. It announced that the state of Alaska independently tested Beech-Nut baby food products and still found dangerously high levels of inorganic arsenic. (6)

Despite Alaska’s test results, the second Congressional baby food report revealed that Beech-Nut failed to notify the public or pull all those affected products from the market. (6)

Beech-Nut Rice Cereal (product codes 103470XXXX and 093470XXXX; expiration date of May 1, 2022) were recalled on June 8, 2021. (3)

But to date, no further Beech-Nut recalls have been announced, despite at least four other products also having high levels of arsenic. (6)

Does Beech-Nut have heavy metals?

The FDA sets the maximum limits in ppb (parts per billion) for infant rice cereal to 100 ppb inorganic arsenic, but the Beech-Nut rice cereals have more than this limit.

Three samples associated with the two recalled products tested by Alaska had the following inorganic arsenic levels: (6)

Product code 103470XXXX: 125 ppb
Product code 093470XXXX, sample 1: 122 ppb
Product code 093470XXXX, sample 2: 116 ppb

Aside from these samples from recalled products, Alaska reported four Beech-Nut rice cereal product codes that also tested over the FDA’s arsenic limits: (6)

013470XXXX
013351XXXX
243470XXXX
113470XXXX

Notably, there were two different samples for 243470XXXX from the same lot. Both showed high levels of inorganic arsenic. The Congressional Report stated that these results are proof that Beech-Nut should have issued a recall on this product code, too. (6)

Reducing Heavy Metals in Baby Food Products

Heavy metals could greatly affect the body and brain development of young children. So, Consumer Reports, the US PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), and other concerned groups call for the approval of the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021. (8)

It will require baby food manufacturers to test and disclose their results to parents and regulators. It will also direct the FDA to create and implement stricter heavy metal limits for baby foods. (8)

In response to public outcry, the FDA announced its action plan called “Closer to Zero.” It aims to reduce toxic elements from foods of babies and young children by lowering the allowable limits. (9)

If implemented, this could lower the limit to 15 ppb for infant cereal and 10 ppb in other baby foods, as proposed by the Baby Food Safety Act. (6)

If that happens, then Beech-Nut will need to pull more products off the shelves. Because even the rice cereal samples (product code 193470XXXX; arsenic level 52.2 ppb) with the lowest inorganic arsenic content have at least three times the allowable limit. (6)

What Is The Healthiest Baby Food Brand?

The following may be healthier alternatives to the unsafe products in the report:

Little Spoon (subscription-based organic baby food)
Yumi (subscription-based organic baby food)
Little Journey Organics
Once Upon A Farm
Serenity Kids

Preparing Healthier Alternatives At Home

You can also prepare fresh, organic baby foods at home using appliances you already have in your kitchen. Products like a Baby Brezza Small Baby Food Maker Set – Cooker and Blender can also help.

But a blender or simple food processor will also do the trick. No need to buy any new gadgets.

You can prepare healthy, fresh baby food at home using:

Whole or puréed vegetables and fruits
Raw yogurt or coconut yogurt
Quality meats, poultry, or fish
Bone broth
Healthy fats such as ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil
Quinoa
Eggs
Oats

Although sweet potatoes and carrots can also have high lead and cadmium levels, they are also important sources of vitamin A and other nutrients. Include these in your child’s diet in moderate amounts. (7)

It’s also best to avoid using rice and rice flour because they might have high cadmium, lead, and arsenic levels. (7)

Other Companies In Congressional Report On Toxic Baby Foods

The following companies were also listed on the Congressional reports: (5)(6)

Gerber Products Company

The company submitted test results for raw materials only, acknowledging that it doesn’t test finished products for heavy metal content. (5)

Mercury:

No test for mercury.

Inorganic Arsenic:

Up to 90 ppb (rice flour)

Lead:

Up to 48 ppb (sweet potatoes)

Cadmium:

Over 5 ppb in 75% of raw ingredients (carrots)
Up to 87 ppb (some carrot batches)
No test for cadmium in other raw materials or ingredients.

Nurture, Inc. (HappyBABY And Happy Family Organics)

Nurture regularly tests both ingredients and finished products for heavy metals, unlike the other baby food manufacturers in the Congressional Report.

But despite knowing that their finished products had high levels of heavy metals, Nurture continued to release them without any corrections. The company admitted that the heavy metal test results aren’t the basis for product release. (5)

Inorganic Arsenic:

Up to 100 ppb (over 25% of Nurture finished baby products)
Up to 160 (Strawberry & Beet Puffs)
Up to 160 (Banana & Pumpkin Puffs)
Up to 180 ppb (Apple & Broccoli Puffs)

Mercury:

Up to 9.8 ppb (Banana Sweet Potato)
Up to 10 ppb (Brown Rice Cereal Canister)

Lead:

Up to 10 ppb (Nurture vegetables and rice products)
Up to 560 ppb (Multi-Grain Cereal Canister)
Up to 641 ppb (Blueberry Purple Carrot)

Cadmium:

Up to 5 ppb (65% of Nurture products)
Up to 36 ppb (Strawberry Raspberry)
Up to 49 ppb (Multi-Grain Cereal Canister)

Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

(Earth’s Best Organic)

Hain admitted that it doesn’t test for actual heavy metal content but only makes “theoretical calculations” from ingredient results. (5)

Inorganic Arsenic:

Up to 309 ppb (ingredients)
Up to 129 ppb (finished products)

Mercury:

No test for mercury.

Lead:

Up to 352 ppb (raw materials)

Cadmium:

Up to 260 ppb (ingredients)

Campbell Soup Company (Plum Organics)

The company refused to provide the Subcommittee with their actual test results or internal standards, insisting that their finished products “meet criteria.” (5)

But data from Healthy Babies Bright Futures showed the following results for Just Sweet Potato Organic Baby Food: (7)

Mercury:

Less than 0.142 ppb

Inorganic Arsenic:

Up to 3.1 ppb

Lead:

Up to 5. 6 ppb

Cadmium:

Up to 2.3 ppb

Walmart Inc. (Parent’s Choice)

Walmart also refused to submit results or internal standards to the Subcommittee. These are data from the Healthy Babies Bright Futures report: (7)

Inorganic Arsenic:

Up to 108 ppb (Organic Strawberry Rice Rusks)
Up to 56.1 ppb (Little Hearts Strawberry Yogurt Cereal Snack)

Mercury:

Up to 2.05 ppb (Organic Strawberry Rice Rusks)
Up to 0.941 ppb (Little Hearts Strawberry Yogurt Cereal Snack)

Lead:

Up to 26.9 ppb (Organic Strawberry Rice Rusks)

Up to 5.2 ppb (Little Hearts Strawberry Yogurt Cereal Snack)

Cadmium:

Up to 26.1 ppb (Little Hearts Strawberry Yogurt Cereal Snack)
Up to 2.4 ppb (Organic Strawberry Rice Rusks)

Sprout Foods, Inc. (Sprout Organic Foods)

The company never responded to the Congressional Subcommittee. So, these results for Organic Quinoa Puffs Baby Cereal Snack – Apple Kale also come from the Healthy Babies Bright Futures report: (7)

Inorganic Arsenic:

Up to 107 ppb

Mercury:

Up to 1.31 ppb

Lead:

Up to 39.3 ppb

Cadmium:

Up to 41.5 ppb

REFERENCES

(1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23570911/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4418502/

(3) https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/beech-nut-nutrition-company-issues-voluntary-recall-one-lot-beech-nut-single-grain-rice-cereal-and

(4) https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/beech-nut-stop-selling-specific-baby-rice-cereal-78196121

(5) https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2021-02-04%20ECP%20Baby%20Food%20Staff%20Report.pdf

(6) https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house. gov/files/ECP%20Second%20Baby%20Food%20Report%209.29.21%20FINAL.pdf

(7) http://www.healthybabyfood.org/sites/healthybabyfoods.org/files/2019-10/BabyFoodReport_FULLREPORT_ENGLISH_R5b.pdf

(8) https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2021/06/09/beech-nut-baby-food-recall-2021-rice-cereal-arsenic/7621243002/

(9) https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-shares-action-plan-reducing-exposure-toxic-elements-foods-babies-and-young-children

Beech nuts and their beneficial properties for women's health

Perhaps you haven't heard much about beech nuts, because you don't often see them in shop windows. And although it may be inferior in popularity to other nuts, it definitely does not lose in its beneficial effect on the body.

In this article:

Where does the sycamore come from? What is inside the beech nut How does the nut affect health?

Photo taken from open sources

The scientific name of the beech nut is Fagus sylvatica. And among the people you could hear how it is called chinarik. Mexico and the USA are considered to be the birthplace of beech groves in which chinariki grow. Beech nuts are grown in Asia and Europe, as well as Canada and North America.

Collect beechnuts during the velvet season - the end of August and the whole of September. The beech fruits themselves are somewhat similar to acorns, but differ in the shape in the form of triangles and small size - about 2 cm. And the taste of beech nuts resembles hazelnuts and walnuts, with hints of cedar.

Beech nuts have a long history. They were loved to be used as food in ancient Greece. And the Scandinavians baked bread using chopped nuts.

In France, they found an alternative use: they brewed fruits and made a drink to replace coffee. The Germans still add beech oil to their dishes to this day.

But you are probably interested in what it is good for the body.

What's inside the beech nut

The beech nut contains a lot of nutrients. Fatty acids occupy half of the entire composition of chinariki. In addition to them, the nut contains a lot of vegetable protein, dietary fiber and starch.

High-calorie beech nuts - 100 g contains 576 kcal. And in the recommended daily portion of 20 g there will be 115 kcal. If you follow the figure, such a portion of a healthy nut will be enough for you.

The content of protein in chinariki is 6 g, carbohydrates - 33.5 g, and fats - 50 g. Of these, saturated fatty acids 5.7 g, monounsaturated 22 g, polyunsaturated 20 g. Does not contain cholesterol, which makes it as useful and safe as possible.
100 g of beech nuts contains: vitamin C - 15.5 mg, folic acid - 113 mcg, niacin - 0.87 mg.
Among the mineral elements in nuts, potassium is the leader - 1020 mg. There is also a lot of sodium - 38 mg, iron - 2.5 mg, calcium - 1 mg, manganese, zinc, copper, magnesium and phosphorus.

How does a nut affect health?

Beech nuts are real superfoods. So small and inconspicuous, but very valuable for your health. What are the best properties of beech nuts?

Improves digestion. The beech nut, despite its small size, is so rich in dietary fiber and fiber. They help your intestines do their job efficiently and without delay. This prevents bloating and constipation.

Chinariki contain enough water and dietary fiber. These components contribute to a good cleansing of the body and remove various toxins and uric acid.

How to cook beech nuts?

Antistress. Thanks to magnesium and potassium in the composition, beech nuts have soothing properties. Studies show that eating chinariki can reduce stress hormone levels.

Consumption of beech nuts promotes good blood circulation, and as a result, your body receives enough oxygen.

Activates the brain. Consuming foods rich in vitamin C, including beech nuts, is good for your brain health. It improves the activity of neurons in the brain and will help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Beechnut provides the body with a third of the need for vitamin B9. Studies have shown that daily consumption of foods that are rich in folic acid reduces the likelihood of suffering from problems with cognitive impairment.

Strengthens the heart. Due to the high amount of dietary fiber in beech nuts, it is good for the cardiovascular system. Helps lower bad cholesterol in your body and increase good cholesterol levels.

Thanks to vitamin C, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened. And with the help of antioxidants, they are protected from damage by free radicals.

Strengthens the immune system. The beech nut will help to strengthen the immune system due to vitamin C and other antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Vitamin C helps improve your body's white blood cell count, which protects against bacteria and viruses.

Vitamin C actively fights the enemies of the immune system and prevents cell damage.

Reduces inflammation. The composition of the beech nut contains two trace elements important for your body: copper and manganese. Thanks to them, chinarik acts against inflammation, reduces pain and swelling.

Eating a serving of beech nuts regularly can help prevent various types of inflammation, such as arthritis, inflammation of the skin and internal organs, according to healthy eating experts.

Super useful for women

You have already realized that nuts are a storehouse of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for everyone's health. And for the health of the female body, the beech nut has at least three valuable properties.

Beech nut will help prevent anemia. Decreased iron levels are common in women. In many ways, the appearance of anemia depends on nutrition, lack of iron-containing foods in the diet.

Of course, beechnuts are not the only food to replenish iron in your body. But, nevertheless, iron in them is in a good amount. Therefore, by adding chinariki to your balanced diet, you can prevent anemia.

Helps prevent problems during pregnancy. Beech nuts contain folic acid or vitamin B9. It is associated with healthy childbearing and is widely used by doctors.

Research has shown that eating foods such as beech nuts can keep the mother healthy and reduce the risk of neurological damage to the fetus.

Chinarik will keep your skin healthy. Appearance is very important for every girl. The high content of ascorbic acid and niacin - vitamin B3 in beech nuts is very beneficial for your skin.

Regular consumption of a portion of beech nuts will help prevent various skin diseases, as well as age spots and wrinkles.

Harm of raw beech nuts

Have you already wanted to include these healthy nuts in your diet? Please note that beech nuts should not be eaten raw, as they contain tannins. These substances are neutralized during heat treatment.

Eating raw plane trees in large quantities can cause intestinal upset and poisoning.

Oxalic acid enters the body with a large number of plane trees. It is harmful to the skeletal system and teeth. And if there are problems with the urinary system, products with oxalic acid must be strictly limited, as it contributes to the deposition of kidney stones.

Another danger that beech nuts carry without heat treatment is the alkaloid fagin. It is toxic when ingested in large amounts and can cause vomiting and hallucinations.

No need to be afraid, just dry or roast beechnuts before eating and eat them in moderation.

beech nuts, raw, dried (en)

Health and nutrition facility

Institution health and nutrition

Health and Nutrition Institution

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In autumn, beech nuts - beech fruits, cover the forest soil. They are highly nutritious and have a nutty flavor.

6.6%

Water

Macronutricment carbohydrates 37. 35%

/07

Macronutricment protein 6.91%

9000 /56

Macronuturients 55.74%

9000 ω-6 (LC, 18.4G)

Omega-6 fatty acids, such as linolenic acid (LA)

: Ω-3 (ALA, 1.7g)

Omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)

= 11:

The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids should not exceed 5:1 in total. Link to explanatory text .

Here the ratio of essential linoleic acid (LA) 18.39 g and essential alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) 1.7 g = 11:1
Total ratio of omega-6 = 18.39 g and omega-3 fatty acids = 1.7 g = 11:1.
On average, we need about 2 g of LA and ALA per day, from which a healthy body also produces EPA and DHA, etc.

Nutrient tables

Beech nuts (chinariki) are the fruits of the common beech ( Fagus sylvatica ). Triangular small beech nuts are usually located two in one cupule and are surrounded by a brown shiny shell.

General information:
Beech gives beech nuts only after 40 years, and the harvest is especially rich after a dry, hot year. Harvests are often interleaved, which means that a good year is followed by a small harvest of beechnuts. Beech nuts ripen in September and October.

Beech nuts are an important source of food for animals, but people also use this fruit in times of famine. Today, beech nuts can well enrich the autumn diet. They can be cooked deliciously like chestnuts, hazelnuts, acorns and other prefabricated fruits, or eaten to replenish energy reserves while walking through the forest.

From Wikipedia: Beech nut is the fruit (seed) of broad-leaved trees of the Beech genus of the Beech family ( Fagaceae ).

Nutlets acorn-shaped, trihedral, 10-15 mm long, with a woody shell, collected in pairs or four pieces in a 4-lobed shell called a cupule. The surface of the fruit is smooth, light brown, shiny. The kernel is white, sweet in taste .

Caution should be exercised when eating raw beechnuts. Their slight toxicity is explained by the fact that raw nuts contain alkaloids and fagin (from Latin Fagus - beech, another name for trimethylamine). Roasting or heating quickly for a few minutes destroys these toxic substances.

In addition, beech nuts contain oxalic acid. This can also be one of the causes of ailments after consuming them in large quantities.

Culinary uses:
The fruit is edible after toasting. ... A coffee drink is prepared from roasted grated nuts. Bread and various confectionery products are baked from beech fruits ground into flour. The kernel of the nut contains up to 47% beech oil, which in terms of its nutritional qualities is a substitute for cocoa butter. It can be used in the manufacture of sprats, sardines and other canned food. ... Beech kernels are also used to make caramel filling, various confectionery products, wine, alcohol, coffee substitute.

Whole nuts can also be combined well with other ingredients and added to salads. Lightly toasted beech nuts add a delicious nutty flavor to dishes.

Once the beechnuts have been harvested, they can be easily sorted with the following trick: put the nuts in a cup filled with water and wait until the heavy, full nuts sink. At the top, empty or rotten fruits will remain floating, which can be easily caught. In addition, wet beech nuts clean better.

Chemical composition:
They are rich in fat, they contain more than 40% fat, which consists of 75% unsaturated fatty acids and carbohydrates. Beechnuts are high in bitter-tasting tannin and may contain the poisonous alkaloid fagin (excessive consumption of which can cause intestinal upset, cramps or diarrhea, and nausea) that decomposes when toasted.