Acorns

part of: Oak

Acorns are the nut-like seeds produced by oak trees, encased in a distinctive cap. Raw acorns are rich in starch and fat but contain high levels of tannins that make them unpalatably bitter and potentially irritating to the digestive system — they require processing before they’re suitable to eat.

Despite the preparation involved, acorns have been a significant food source for humans throughout history and across many cultures. Korean cuisine still uses acorn starch to make a savoury jelly called dotori-muk, while in parts of Europe, roasted acorns have been used as a coffee substitute.

In Australia, various oak species grow in parks and gardens, and foraging acorns has a small but enthusiastic following. The key is identifying the right species — white oak acorns are milder than red oak varieties and require less leaching.

Wild

photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Acorns are gathered from oak trees after they fall naturally in autumn. They’re sorted to remove any with insect damage or mould, then shelled to extract the pale nutmeat inside. Before eating, acorns must be leached in water — either soaked in multiple changes of cold water over several days or boiled in repeated batches of hot water — to remove the bitter, astringent tannins.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 387kcal

Protein 6.2g

Carbs 40.8g

Fat 23.9g

Fibre 0g Sugar 0g

Mass Distribution

1 oz is about 28.35 g — roughly 110 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.5kg

Freshwater ≈130L

Land ≈0.4m²

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

Made from

Oak, seed

In the kitchen

Used as

foraged nut for flour

Goes well with

honey salt pork mushroom cinnamon

Classic dishes

Dotori-muk
Acorn Porridge
Acorn Flour Bread

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

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