For broader coverage of this topic, see Nut (fruit).
Aculinary nut is a dry, edible fruitorseed that usually, but not always, has a high fat content. Nuts are used in a wide variety of edible roles, including in baking, as snacks (either roasted or raw), and as flavoring. In addition to botanical nuts, fruits and seeds that have a similar appearance and culinary role are considered to be culinary nuts.[1] Culinary nuts are divided into fruits or seeds in one of four categories:
True, or botanical nuts: dry, hard-shelled, uncompartmented fruit that do not split on maturity to release seeds; (e.g. hazelnuts) [2][3]
Drupes: seed contained within a pit (stone or pyrena) that itself is surrounded by a fleshy fruit (e.g. almonds, walnuts);[4]
Angiosperm: seeds surrounded by an enclosure, such as a pod or a fruit (e.g. peanuts).
A small bowl of mixed nutsAn assortment of mixed nuts
Nuts have a rich history as food. For many indigenous peoples of the Americas, a wide variety of nuts, including acorns, American beech, and others, served as a major source of starch and fat over thousands of years.[5] Similarly, a wide variety of nuts have served as food for Indigenous Australians for many centuries.[6] Other culinary nuts, though known from ancient times, have seen dramatic increases in use in modern times. The most striking such example is the peanut. Its usage was popularized by the work of George Washington Carver, who discovered and popularized many applications of the peanut after employing peanut plants for soil amelioration in fields used to grow cotton.[7]
European beech (Fagus sylvatica), although edible, have never been popular as a source of food. They have been used as animal feed and to extract a popular edible oil.[10]
Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum), used by the ancient Maya peoplesasanimal fodder, and as an alternative food when yield of other crops was insufficient.[11]
Guinea peanut (Pachira glabra), like those of the related Malabar chestnut, the seeds taste similar to peanuts[15] and are typically boiled or roasted,[16] with the roasted seeds sometimes ground to make a hot drink.[15]
Hazelnuts (Corylus spp.), most commercial varieties of which descend from the European hazelnut (Corylus avellana).[17] Hazelnuts are used to make pralines, in the popular Nutella spread, in liqueurs, and in many other foods.
American hazelnut (Corylus americana), appealing for breeding because of its relative hardiness.[17]
Deeknut (Corylus dikana), grows in hot, excessively dry areas.[18] An occasional garnish used in Middle Eastern dishes.
Karuka (Pandanus spp.), native to Papua New Guinea. Both the planted and wild species are eaten raw, roasted or boiled, providing food security when other foods are less available.[21]
Planted karuka (Pandanus julianettii), cultivated species, planted by roughly half the rural population of Papua New Guinea.[22]
Wild karuka (Pandanus brosimos), important food source in villages at higher altitudes in New Guinea.[22]
Malabar chestnut (Pachira aquatica), have a taste reminiscent of peanuts when raw, and of cashews or European chestnuts (which they strongly resemble) when roasted.[25]
Mongongo (Ricinodendron rautanenii), abundant source of protein among Bushmen in the Kalahari desert.[26] Also of interest as a source of oil for skin care.[27]
Almonds (Prunus dulcis) have a long and important history of religious, social and cultural significance as a food.[31] Speculated to have originated as a natural hybrid in Central Asia, almonds spread throughout the Middle East in ancient times and thence to Eurasia. The almond is one of only two nuts mentioned in the Bible.[32]
Apricot kernels are sometimes used as an almond substitute, an Apricot seed derived ersatz-Marzipan is known as "Persipan" in German and is extensively used in foods like Stollen.
Baru nut (Dipteryx alata) is a source of food for indigenous Afro-Brazilian communities living in the Brazilian Cerrado. The nut is eaten toasted or boiled.
Betelorareca nuts (Areca catechu) are chewed in many cultures as a psychoactive drug.[34] They are also used in Indian cuisine to make sweet after-dinner treats (mukwas) and breath-fresheners (paan masala).[35]
Canarium nut (Canarium harveyi, Canarium indicum, or Canarium commune) has long been an important food source in Melanesia.[37]
Chinese olive (Canarium album) pits are processed before use as an ingredient in Chinese cooking.[38]
Pili nuts (Canarium ovatum) are native to the Philippines, where they have been cultivated for food from ancient times.[39]
Cashews (Anacardium occidentale) grow as a drupe that is attached to the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree.[40] Native to northeastern Brazil, the cashew was introduced to India and East Africa in the sixteenth century, where they remain a major commercial crop. The nut must be roasted (or steamed) to remove the caustic shell oil before being consumed.[41]
Coconut (Cocos nucifera), used worldwide as a food. The fleshy part of the seed is edible, and used either desiccated or fresh as an ingredient in many foods. The pressed oil from the coconut is used in cooking as well.[43]
Gabon nut (Coula edulis) has a taste comparable to hazelnut or chestnut. It is eaten raw, grilled or boiled.[44]
Mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa), native to North America, named after the heavy hammer (mokerinDutch) required to crack the heavy shell and remove the tasty nutmeat.[45]
Pecans (Carya illinoinensis) are the only major commercial nut tree native to North America.[46] Pecans are eaten as a snack food, and used as an ingredient in baking and other food preparation.
Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) has over 130 named cultivars. They are a valuable source of food for wildlife, and were eaten by indigenous peoples of the Americas and settlers alike.[47]
Shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa) nuts are sweet, and are the largest of the hickories. They are also eaten by a wide variety of wildlife.[48]
Bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis) has both edible fruit and an edible nut, which is used as a thickening agent in stews and soups in West African cuisines.[49]
Ogbono nut (Irvingia wombolu) is similar to the bush mango, but the fruit is not edible.[49]
Jack nuts (Artocarpus heterophyllus) are the seeds of the jack fruit. With a taste like chestnuts, they have an extremely low fat content of less than 1%.[50]
Black walnut (Juglans nigra), also popular as food for wildlife, with an appealing, distinctive flavor. Native of North America.[53]
Butternut (Juglans cinerea) (or white walnut) is native to North America. Used extensively, in the past, by Native American tribes as food.[54]
English walnut (Juglans regia) (or Persian walnut) was introduced to California around 1770. California now represents 99% of US walnut growth.[55] It is often combined with salads, vegetables, fruits or desserts because of its distinctive taste.
Heartnut, or Japanese walnut (Juglans aitlanthifolia), native to Japan, with a characteristic cordate shape.[56] Heartnuts are often toasted or baked, and can be used as a substitute for English walnuts.
Agymnosperm, from the Greekgymnospermos (γυμνόσπερμος), meaning "naked seed", is a seed that does not have an enclosure. The following gymnosperms are culinary nuts. All but the ginkgo nut are from evergreens.
Monkey-puzzle nut (Araucaria araucana) has nuts twice the size of almonds. Rich in starch. Roasted, boiled, eaten raw, or fermented in Chile and Argentina.[60]
Paraná pine nut (Araucaria angustifolia) (or Brazil pine nut) is an edible seed similar to pine nuts.[61]
Pine nuts (Pinus spp.) Pine nuts can be toasted and added to salads and are used as an ingredient in pesto, among other regional uses.
Colorado pinyon (Pinus edulis), in great demand as an edible nut, with average annual production of 454 to 900 tonnes.[63]
Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), a pine-nut yielding species native to Asia.[64]
Mexican pinyon (Pinus cembroides), found in Mexico and Arizona. Nuts are eaten raw, roasted, or made into flour.[65]
Single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) grows in foothills from Mexico to Idaho. Eaten as other pine nuts. Also sometimes ground and made into pancakes.[66]
Stone pine, or pignolia nut (Pinus pinea) is the most commercially important pine nut.[64]
These culinary nuts are seeds contained within a larger fruit, and are flowering plants.
Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) is harvested from an estimated 250,000–400,000 trees per year. Highly valued, and used in the confectionery and baking trades.[36] Excellent dietary source of selenium.[67]
Macadamia (Macadamia spp.) are primarily produced in Hawaii and Australia. Both species are native to Australia. They are a highly valued nut. Waste nuts are commonly used to extract an edible oil.[36]
Macadamia nut (Macadamia tetraphylla) has a rough shell, and is the subject of some commercialization.[68]
Queensland macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia) has a smooth shell, and is the principal commercial macadamia nut.[68]
Peanut, or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), a legume and grown on the ground, not on a tree or bush, originally from South America, has grown from a relatively minor crop to one of the most important commercial nut crops, in part due to the work of George Washington Carver at the beginning of the 20th century.[7]
Peanut tree (Sterculia quadrifida) or bush peanut, native to Australia. Requires no preparation.[70][note 1]
Soybean (Glycine max), a legume and grown on the ground, not on a tree or bush, is used as a nut, secondary to its use as an oil seed.[71]
^ abcThompson, Maxime M.; Lagerstedt, Harry B.; Mehlenbacher, Shawn A. (2 May 1996). "Hazelnuts". In Janick, Jules; Moore James N. (eds.). Nuts. Vol. 3. John Wiley & Sons. p. 125ff. ISBN9780471126690. Retrieved 2011-11-21. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^Newman, Jacqueline M. (2004). Food culture in China. Food culture around the world. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 47. ISBN0-313-32581-2. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
^Dewan, M. L.; Nautiyal, M. C.; Sah, V. K.; Trees for Life, India (1992). Nut fruits for the Himalayas. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 114–116. ISBN81-7022-399-7. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
