Although nuts contain high levels of fat as well as calories, if they are consumed in moderate amounts they may definitely be a component of a healthy diet. In fact, nuts are not only very tasty, but every ounce of it is complete with nutriments.
You should know that majority of the nuts are basically seeds or fruits dried up from trees. For instance, contrary to the general perception, peanuts are not nuts, but a variety of legumes and are a member of the plant family that also includes beans and peas.
In fact, the term 'nut' itself may be puzzling. Originally, this term denoted an edible kernel that is enclosed by a firm shell. Presently, the scientific definition of 'nut' denotes a fruit having a solitary seed that is enclosed by a dehydrated, hard shell.
This definition perfectly suits chestnuts, beechnuts and hazelnuts, but is not appropriate for nuts like almonds as well as walnuts (as the fruit that surrounds them is edible too) and peanuts (which are actually legumes).
To add to this confusion, it may be pointed out that pine nuts and Brazil nuts too are not nuts, but seeds. On the other hand, what we call seeds of the sunflower are actually the fruits of the plant.
All nuts are a resourceful food and you can consume them fresh, use them in cooking and, occasionally, even they are used in culinary along with their shells. Nuts are available as whole or chopped up and even salted or without salt.
In addition, they are used to make a number of products, such as oils, butters and spreads.
Preferably, you should consume nuts as well as seeds raw - this is the best and most useful way of eating them, because when they are raw, the seeds and nuts retain the maximum amount of enzymes as well as other nutriments.
Nevertheless, consumption of roasted nuts too is very nourishing, particularly when you roast them personally using the least amount of salt and fat necessary.
Compared to the roasted nuts, raw nuts can be digested more easily owing to the activity of the enzymes present in their raw state.
You may use nuts in several ways. Many stores readily sell whole, ground and flaked nuts as well as butters prepared from nuts.
Adding roasted nuts to vegetarian dishes enhances their flavour and several cook books for vegetarian foods provide one such recipe that can be varied incessantly using various dissimilar herbs as well as essences, in addition to diverse blending of cereals and nuts.
You may also include nuts in sweet dishes, biscuits, and cakes, while nut butters may be incorporated into stews and soups with a view to congeal them.
Unlike the legumes or animal products, proteins present in seeds and nuts do not enclose lysine, a vital amino acid. While nuts are rich in calorie content in comparison to their mass, they are also deemed to be nutrient-compact foods. In comparison to their calorie content, nuts enclose plenty of nutriments.
In addition to calories and proteins, nuts also enclose high amounts of other plant compounds. For instance, flavonoids are present in all types of nuts.
Basically, flavonoids are antioxidants and they aid in putting off the harmful free radicals formation in our body, which add to the development of cancer and several cardiovascular ailments.
Compared to their dimensions, nuts are considered to be among the most excellent sources of protein derived from plants.
Usually, nuts have a rich fat content. In majority of cases, over 75% of calories contained by nuts are derived from fat (chestnuts being the only exception - as only 8% of their calories originate from fat).
However, the positive side of this is that the fat contained by nuts is the 'appropriate' type of fat. Barring the palm and coconut kernel, majority of fat contained by nuts is of monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated type.
Different from saturated fats, which are usually present in dairy products and red meat, the fats in nuts do not seem to augment the levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
When consumed in small quantities, monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated fats may, in fact, lessen the levels of blood cholesterol.
Nevertheless, you should keep an eye on the amount of salt you are ingesting along with salted nuts.
Originally, nuts do not contain any salt, but it is added to them later to make them more flavourful. If you wish to restrict consuming salt, you are advised to go for products that are salt-free.
While purchasing nuts, look for those that look clean and are homogeneous.
In fact, several dissimilar forms of seeds and nuts are available commercially now - they are sold with or with no shell; whole; chopped; halved; finely sliced pieces; ground; roasted; plain; salted; sweetened; smoked; coated with chocolate or candy; and with or devoid of their brownish skin.
In addition, seeds and nuts are also processed to prepare oil, butter as well as spreads that may be sweetened, salty or plain.
The shells that enclose the nuts are actually a defensive coating that puts off the nuts from decomposing very fast. Therefore, if you are buying unshelled nuts, always go for those whose shells are intact.
On the other hand, while purchasing shelled nuts, you are advised to purchase the ones that are marketed in glass jars and cans that are vacuum-sealed or in airtight bags - this type of packaging ensures that the nuts have utmost freshness.
In addition, it is also prudent to purchase nuts from stores that have a fast turnover.
As seeds and nuts enclose high amounts of fat, they should always be stored in a place away from light, heat and dampness. It is preferable to store them in airtight glass jars or plastic containers, because this will help to put off the nuts from becoming rancid.
You should know that unshelled nuts have a longer shelf life compared to the shelled ones, which may perhaps turn out to rotten in some weeks provided they are not frozen.
Moreover, unshelled nuts have a tendency to remain better compared to shelled, chopped, cut or crushed nuts. The latter varieties should always be stored in sealed containers and in a place away from heat, light and humidity.
Conditional of the selection of the nuts, they will remain edible for anything between two to nine months when stored in a refrigerator.
It may be noted that nuts with their shells freeze better and will remain fresh in the refrigerator for approximately a year.
However, you need to store shelled, chopped, cut or crushed nuts as well as seeds in sealed containers and packing at the normal temperature of the living room.
When you have opened the package, put the nuts in an airtight container and keep it in a place away from light, heat and humidity for storing them for a prolonged period or in a freezer for storing them for an even longer period.
Although nuts are extremely nourishing and flavourful, you need to adopt certain precautions while consuming them, because allergic reactions to nuts are among the most widespread types of allergies caused by foods.
Such food allergies may produce several symptoms including breathing problems or panting; congestion in the nose; hives, itching; nausea, stomach disorder, diarrhea or gas; heartburn; cramps; dizziness; fainting; and/ or swelling of the face etc.
Contact a competent allergist right away in case you believe that you have developed a food allergy. The allergist will evaluate your condition and suggest remedies.
While almonds are native to the comparatively warm regions of northern Africa and western Asia, they also grow excellently in California, which grows about 99 per cent of all domestic requirements for almonds.
Almonds are basically the edible seeds produced by the sweet almond trees. Almonds have the shape of a tear-drop and are enclosed in shells and have a fleshy hull on the exterior. Almonds may taste both - sweet as well as bitter.
The sweet variety of almond possesses a supple yet typical taste, whereas the bitter type of almond is not edible when raw, as it encloses a tinge of a poisonous substance called prussic acid, which is a cyanide amalgam.
In the latter part of the 19th century some herbalist cross-bred different varieties of sweet almond to create novel varieties, including the California, Carmel, Mission, Nonpareil (which is the most well-liked variety currently) and Price.
Ever since, as many as 30 more new varieties of sweet almonds were developed and now all of them are cultivated on a commercial basis.
From the nutritional viewpoint, almonds possess additional calcium compared to all other nuts and supply a very good amount of iron, vitamin E as well as riboflavin. Almonds contain substantial amounts of fat and over 60 per of this is derived from monounsaturated fat.
Beech trees are native to woodlands in regions having temperate climatic conditions and grow in many areas of the world, including North America, Europe, North Africa and Asia. These trees may often grow up to a height of 120 feet.
Beechnuts are ordinary seeds (also called nuts) surrounded by a spiky burrs which drop to the earth during autumn. Beechnuts have a resemblance to small chestnuts and their flavor is akin to that of hazelnuts. There are over 10 species of beech trees that produce different varieties of nuts.
Beechnuts provide us with good amounts of riboflavin and thiamin and are also an excellent resource of iron. Over 80 per cent of their fat content is derived from monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated fats.
Evergreen trees that are mostly found growing the length of the Amazon, Rio Negro and Orinoco rivers in South America produce Brazil nuts.
These nuts measure approximately six inches across and look like a coconut. Each fruit borne by Brazil nut trees produces anything between 18 and 20 nuts inside its firm shell.
Within, the nuts having a triangular shape are organized in the same way as the wedges are arranged in an orange. The white kernel within the hard shell is edible.
The kernel is very nutritious, has a creamy color and tastes sweet. It is also an excellent resource of thiamin and phosphorus, in addition to providing some amounts of calcium. The nut also contains high amounts of fat, much of which comprises unsaturated fat.
Brazil nuts are only harvested when the ripened fruit of the tree drops on the ground on its own. The fruits are cut to acquire the nuts inside.
As the Brazil nut trees grow naturally in the middle of the dense Amazon forest, it is only possible to ship the nuts in the rainy season, when it is easy to navigate the rivers and streams.
Despite the fact that these nuts grow only in Brazil, the local inhabitants hardly get to consume them, as most of the produce is exported.
Brazil nuts are known by various different names, including butternut, para nut, castanea, and cream nut. Oil extracted from Brazil nuts is employed to manufacture soaps or it is simply used in the form of an industrial lubricant.
Currently, India is the largest cashew nuts producer across the globe. Other important cashew nut producing countries include Brazil, Mozambique, Kenya and Tanzania.
Trees that bear cashew nuts give rise to a stalk that resembles a fruit and it is known as the cashew apple (however, its actual shape has more resemblance to a pear).
The cashew nut is attached at one end of this cashew apple. The exterior shell of the cashew nut is even and its color is like that of ash.
The length of the cashew nut kernel, which is edible, differs from about 3/4 inch to one inch. Although the generic name of cashew nuts Anacardium means heart-shaped, in reality, the shape of cashew nuts resembles that of human kidneys.
Cashew nuts are never sold unshelled, as their edible kernel is surrounded by an internal shell and the gap between the internal and the external shells is packed with dense, acerbic and toxic oil, which has close relation with poison ivy.
If you consume cashew nuts with their shell and unroasted, it will burn up your mouth as well as the lips and result in the formation of blisters on your facial skin.
From the nutritional viewpoint, cashew nuts are wonderful resource of essential minerals like phosphorus, iron, zinc, potassium, and vitamins like thiamin and riboflavin. Monounsaturated fats form the main source of the fat enclosed by cashew nuts.
Chestnut trees grow naturally in Europe, Asia and North America. In effect, lyrics of one Christmas carol have made the fruits borne by these trees very popular.
In China, chestnut trees were cultivated for the first time ever roughly 5,000 years back. It is said that chestnut trees were aplenty in Mount Olympus, gods' abode in ancient Greece.
In general, chestnut trees live for an extremely prolonged period. It has been found that a number of chestnut trees that had been grafted over 500 years back continue to survive to this day.
Moreover, trees bearing chestnuts also have the capability to settle in poor soil too.
The nuts of these trees are harvested manually when they fall on the ground from their prickly external covering (also called a burr). Normally, the chestnut trees begin to bear fruits when they have already existed for more or less 25 years.
The size of chestnuts may vary from 1/2 inch to over one inch, subject to the variety of the trees. One side of the nuts is rounded, while the other is flat.
Similarly, one end is pointed, while the other is rounded. When the chestnut kernel is roasted, it become supple, fleshy and tastes sweet.
Indigenous to the eastern regions of the United States, there was a time when the variety called common American chestnut extensively prevailed the forest lands ranging from Georgia to Maine.
However, currently this tree has almost become destroyed owing to a disease attributable to fungus. Presently, just a few trees can be found growing in that region.
The trees that bear ginkgo nuts are deemed to be the most ancient plant species known to man that is surviving till today. This tree is said to have been existed for about 250 million years and has not changed in any manner.
In fact, ginkgo trees (botanical name Gingko biloba) are believed to be a fossil that is still alive. The ginkgo nut is basically the seed of an unpalatable fruit resembling apricot, which is distinctive for having a potent odour, which, according to some people, it unpleasant.
The nuts produced by the female trees are enclosed in a tough, buff-hued shell, which is pointed at both ends. Inside the shell, the flesh is of similar shape as well as color, but it is smooth and possesses a supple, sweet flavour.
While these trees are grown in several cities in the United States, as they are unaffected by air pollution, most people are ignorant of the fact that the ginkgo trees produce edible nuts.
People in Asia have been traditionally using the nuts as well as the fan-like leaves for therapeutic purposes for several thousand years now.
In fact, the extracts as well as the powder obtained from the ginkgo biloba trees are sold extensively in the U.S. in the form of herbal supplements. These products are endorsed as remedies to enhance the memory.
Nutritionally speaking, ginkgo nuts provide us with excellent amounts of niacin and thiamin, in addition to essential minerals like potassium, copper and phosphorus.
The size of hazelnuts is the same as that of grapes and these nuts are known by various names, counting cobnut and filbert. Hazelnuts are enclosed in woody, brown colored shells that detach easily from their kernel.
These nuts develop from leaf-like husks that split open when the nuts are ripened. In August, the ripened nuts start falling from the trees. They are harvested manually and kept aside according to their size and, subsequently, put up for sale for processing.
Roughly, hazelnuts trees are found in ten main species. The species of hazelnut that are cultivated most extensively include the American hazelnut, European hazelnut and the Turkish hazelnut.
A variety of hazelnut hybrids have been developed from these ten major species.
The most common hybrid hazelnut varieties comprise the Barcelona, the Duchilly and the Winkler. In fact, several connoisseurs of hazelnuts believe that the Barcelona variety yields the best nuts.
From the nutritional aspect, hazelnuts form a wonderful resource of thiamin, magnesium, iron, potassium, and phosphorus. In addition, they also provide us with a good amount of niacin. The main source of fats present in hazelnuts comprises monounsaturated fat.
For several centuries, people in India, Egypt and China have used the lotus plant, particularly the flowers, in the form of ornamentation in their arts.
While several people are aware of the fact that the lotus plant is cultivated for its gorgeous flowers, in fact, its roots as well as seeds are edible. The cream-colored seeds of the lotus plant gentle raise the essence of many cuisines in several Asian nations.
Besides the seeds, the lotus plants' roots too are edible. After these starch-packed roots are cut into small pieces and cooked, they turn pale brown and have a crunchy surface.
Normally, they are utilized in the form of a vegetable in some dishes prepared by people in a number of Asian countries. The leaves of the lotus plant are eaten too.
While the tender leaves are consumed raw, the mature leaves are often used to envelop rice, fruit and even meat dishes prior to steaming them.
The seeds of the lotus plant are known by various names. The most common names of lotus seeds are Indian lotus, nelumbium and hasu.
The trees that bear macadamia nuts are indigenous to Australia and have got their name from the Australian naturalist and medical practitioner Dr. John MacAdam. Legend has it that Dr. MacAdam was the first person to discover that these nuts can be eaten.
An extremely tough, brown colored shell encloses the macadamia nut, while its kernel has a beige hue. The nut is roughly measured 1/2 inch to 1 inch across and is surrounded by a slender, meaty husk, which ruptures when the nut ripens.
This nut has a somewhat sweet, cream-like, rich essence making it a favorite of food connoisseurs and quite expensive.
Compared to all other nuts, macadamia nuts enclose the maximum amount of fat as well as calories.
These nuts are a wonderful resource of several nutrients like thiamin, copper and magnesium, besides providing ample amounts of niacin and iron. The fat content in macadamia nuts is mostly monounsaturated fat.
Way back in the 1880s, macadamia nut trees were introduced to a number of areas in the United States. However, this nut became popular among the consumers as late as the 1930s brining the macadamia industry into existence.
In the past, Hawaii has provided us with about 90 per cent of the entire macadamia nuts produced throughout the world.
Nevertheless, cultivators in Florida as well as California too have now begun playing an important part in the domestic production of this nut.
In addition, now people in Brazil, Jamaica, Venezuela, South Africa, Guatemala, Samoa and Costa Rica too cultivate macadamia nuts.
Pecan trees are a member of the plant family that also includes walnut trees and they grow in wild in the regions ranging between Illinois and Texas as well as Maryland and Florida.
Actually, over 100 different types of pecans are grown all over the United States. However, commercial cultivation of these trees is restricted to the states having warm climatic conditions.
Georgia is the leading pecan nut producing state in the US, producing over 33 per cent of the country's entire pecan nut production, which is approximately 200,000 tons (unshelled) every year.
Worldwide, pecan nuts are among the extensively grown nuts. This nut has an elongated shape and its exterior is wrinkled having a resemblance to walnuts.
Pecan nuts have a butter-like taste. The shell that encloses pecan nut is glossy, brown colored, and can be broken open without any difficulty.
The fat present in pecan nuts is mainly derived from unsaturated fats. Precisely speaking, over 50 per cent of the fat found in pecan nuts originates from monounsaturated fats.
These nuts form a wonderful resource of several nutriments, counting thiamin, phosphorus, zinc and copper. In addition, they also provide us with a good amount of essential minerals like potassium and iron.
The pistachio trees bear pistachio nuts in clusters. These trees are found growing in wild all over the central as well as western regions of Asia and are also grown in other different regions of the globe having warm climatic conditions.
Pistachio nuts are surrounded by husks that are fleshy. The nut also has a slight, firm shell having a tan hue and it ruptures partially when the nut matures. Unscrupulous distributors may sometimes dye the shells red or bleach them white to conceal the flaws.
Within the shell lies a soft, light green kernel covered by a flimsy brown skin. The kernel of pistachio nuts has a supple and sweet taste that is imparted to desserts.
You ought to store both shelled as well as unshelled pistachio nuts in sealed container and keep them in a refrigerator, because doing so will help to keep the nuts edible for about three months.
You can buy pistachio nuts throughout the year. Nutritionally, pistachio nuts are a wonderful resource of thiamin, iron, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
For several centuries, people in China, India, Egypt and Persia have grown the safflower plant and it was introduced into the US as late as 1925.
Currently, India continues to be the leading producer of these seeds. The safflower seeds have many different common names, including safflower, saffron thistle and false saffron.
They measure approximately one-fourth of an inch in length and have an elongated shape.
Safflower seeds are a very good resource of riboflavin, thiamin, magnesium and iron, in addition to supplying us with good amounts of niacin and potassium.
The seeds of the sesame plant are minute, oval shaped and even having a very delicate hull, which is also edible.
These are available in a range of colors, including white, black, red, brown or yellow. Compared to the dark colored seeds, those having light hues are preferred.
Approximately 40% to 60% of the weight of sesame seeds comprises its oil. Sesame seeds are a very good plant resource of thiamin, riboflavin, iron and phosphorus, besides supplying a good amount of potassium.
The fat contained by sesame seeds is mainly derived from polyunsaturated fat.
Although currently squash plants are grown all over the world, in the initial day, as far back as 8,000 B.C., indigenous people collected this fruits of this plant primarily for their seeds.
When the early European settlers arrived in North America, they found that plant was extensively cultivated by the American Indians as an ordinary crop.
While majority of people are accustomed to consuming the flesh of this fruit, very few are aware that even the squash seeds are very flavourful and nourishing. Among all squash seeds consumed by people in the U.S., pumpkin seed is the most common and well liked.
The seeds of pumpkin are even having one end smoothed, while the other end gets thinner to form a point. These seeds have a beige color and measure roughly 3/4 inch in length.
The seeds have a green colored kernel inside and have a subtly nut-like flavour. People in Mexico refer to pumpkin seeds as pepitas and use them in several popular dishes.
Besides the summer squash, usually, people also consume the seeds of the winter variety. The squash plants are harvested when the fruits are ripe and, therefore, by this time the seeds are completely mature.
On the other hand, summer squash is consumed prior to it and its seeds too are completely ripe. Seeds of several other squash, such as the buttercup squash, acorn squash and butternut squash, are also consumed commonly.
Incorporating these seeds in your diet makes it healthier, as they enclose high amounts of potassium as well as phosphorus.
In addition, squash seeds are also an excellent resource of riboflavin and thiamin. Less than 50 per cent of fats contained by squash seeds are derived from polyunsaturated fat.
Plants belonging to the sunflower genus comprise over 100 species. While plants of this genus are presently cultivated across the globe, they are believed to have their origin in South America or the western region of North America.
The U.S. as well as the nations that comprised the erstwhile Soviet Union are some of the largest producers of sunflower seeds.
The seeds of sunflower measure roughly one-fourth inch in length, and are angular having a tan, greyish green or black color.
The sunflower seeds are surrounded by thin shells, which generally have black and white stripes. Although there are over 100 sunflower species, only two varieties are commercially cultivated.
The species called the Russian variety is mostly cultivated for oil, as its seeds enclose over 40% oil as per weight. On the other hand, the North America type bears comparatively large seeds and is cultivated for consumption by humans as well as bird food.
Despite the fact that sunflower seeds contain high amounts of calories as well as fat, most of the fats enclosed by them are derived from unsaturated fat.
Moreover, sunflower seeds are rich in nutriments and also a wonderful source of niacin, folic acid, zinc and potassium. Sunflower seeds also contain high amounts of dietary fiber.
It is best to store sunflower seeds in a place away from heat and moisture. Shelled sunflower seeds ought to be kept in a refrigerator with a view to prevent them from rotting.
As many as 20 different deciduous species are commonly called walnut and these include the pecan and hickory trees. The two most widespread varieties of walnut are called the English walnut, also called the Persian walnut, and the black walnut.
The black walnut bears a meaty green colored fruit that encloses the nut and also serves as a cushion for it when the mature fruit drops on the ground.
Some effort is needed to break open the edible kernel from the chunky, woody shell of the nut. Substances contained within the walnut fruit may possibly blemish your hands while handling them.
On the other hand, it is much easier to remove the English walnut variety's kernel from its shell - which is much thin as well as simple to break open. This is one of the reasons why the English walnut is cultivated commercially on a more extensive scale.
From the perception of nutrition, walnuts form a wonderful resource of thiamin, copper, zinc and phosphorus. In addition, they also provide us with ample amounts of potassium and iron. Over 70% of the fat content of walnut is derived from polyunsaturated fat.
