The case for America’s original superfood — the acorn: The nut is popping up on menus and in cookbooks, and experts are working to breed a sweeter variety, which could lead to a new era of acorn eating. (Kate Morgan, 9/27/26, Washington Post)
As autumn descends, it’s nearly impossible to ignore the acorns as they thunk onto roofs and burst like popcorn under car tires. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that there are about 40 billion oak trees in the United States, and as the weather cools, they begin to drop a bounty of nuts — an all-important food source for squirrels and chipmunks, deer, bears, birds and other animals.But acorns aren’t just critter food. For a long time, they were an important food staple for people, too. Before colonization, Indigenous North Americans were especially dependent on acorns, says Sean Sherman, an Oglala Lakota chef known as the Sioux Chef. “It was such a massive, important part of their diet,” he says.
Acorns were dried or roasted, ground into flour and used to make porridges, soups and breads. “They were getting most of their carbs and essential fats from acorns,” Sherman says. “They’re highly nutritious.”
Acorns contain essential vitamins and minerals, including a big dose of manganese, folate, and vitamins E and B6, and they are rich in antioxidants. And it’s looking like acorns could be the next popular superfood: They have been popping up on the menus at popular restaurants, in cookbooks and in food influencer content. Some tree breeders, food scientists and chefs are working to put the humble acorn back on our plates.