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Water chestnut

Water chestnut is a crisp aquatic corm commonly eaten raw, stir-fried, or added to soups and dumplings.

Water chestnut — illustrative ingredient image

About Water chestnut

Water chestnut is the crisp edible corm of the aquatic plant commonly called Chinese water chestnut. It is eaten raw or added to stir-fries, soups, fillings, dumplings, salads, and other savoury dishes.

Its white flesh is juicy and has a clean, mildly sweet flavour. The texture remains notably crunchy after brief cooking compared with many other vegetables, contributing a fresh snap rather than a strong vegetable flavour.

The corm has dark brown to nearly black skin and white flesh. It is sold fresh, peeled, canned, or otherwise preserved. Peeling, slicing, dicing, and cooking change its appearance and texture; canned pieces are generally softer or less aromatic than freshly peeled corms.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where water chestnut appears

5 linked foods

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Main dishes

Snacks

Desserts

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for water chestnut

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

water chestnut

English

water chestnut (raw)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Water chestnut, peeled, canned, drained

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Water chestnuts, raw

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Water chestnut nutrition & diet

Water chestnut nutritional value

Water chestnuts, raw

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the stated food form.

Calories
46kcal
Protein
1.4g
Carbs
10.4g
Fat
0.2g

Reference values apply to the named food form, not every preparation, variety or brand. CoFID 2021 food code 13-394. Carbohydrate follows the dataset’s available-carbohydrate convention. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/.

Portions & preparation

Use the reference for the edible corm of water chestnut, distinguishing fresh, peeled, canned, boiled, or dried forms. Drainage and cooking alter the served portion, while sliced corms may be mixed into dishes with sauces or starches. Record whether skins, brine, or accompanying ingredients are included.

Compare the right form: Reference must match water-chestnut corm, identifying fresh, canned, dried, or cooked form and the edible drained or served portion.

Diet considerations

Water chestnut is plant-derived, specifically an aquatic corm, when sold as the named whole ingredient. Compatibility changes if canned versions contain brine or additives, or if the corm is fried, battered, sweetened, or combined with meat, seafood, dairy, or cereal ingredients. The dish’s carbohydrate pattern depends on preparation and portion.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically compatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically compatible
The plain form fits the conventional paleo food groups. Added ingredients and individual interpretations can differ.
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: UK Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID), 2021 — Water chestnuts, raw ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .