When I see a pile of crunchy, salted almonds on a charcuterie board, I go straight for them. There’s something endlessly satisfying about the texture, savory flavor, and rich heartiness of a nut that makes it the perfect snack.
Nuts can also be ground into flour and butter and baked into muffins and pies. But almonds and peanuts aren’t the only ones to enjoy! There are many types of nuts to explore that offer a world of tasty, protein-packed goodness!
What is a Nut, Technically?
Isn’t it wild how botanists and chefs don’t always agree? The lines between fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes can get pretty blurry. In fact, watermelons are technically berries, corn is a grain, and tomatoes, although used like veggies, are botanically fruits!
Maybe you’ve munched a handful of peanuts a dozen times, but did you know peanuts are not considered true nuts? Peanuts are actually legumes closely related to peas and lentils, at least botanically speaking. But many still consider them nuts.
In the world of botany, true nuts are a bit different. They’re dry, single-seeded fruits packed with oil and wrapped in a tough outer layer. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a real nut has a hard shell and a protective husk.
Nut Origins
Ever wondered why walnuts are nuts but peanuts aren’t? Let’s dig into a bit of history!
Nuts have been around for ages — can you believe they were a big part of our diet thousands of years ago? An archaeological dig in Israel found evidence showing that ancient people relied heavily on nuts.
But early Native Americans were pretty clever with nuts. They’d place them in a stone hollow and smash them with another stone called a “hammer stone.” They ate the nuts whole, ground them into flour or nut butter with a mortar and pestle, and even used the shells to fuel their fires. They cooked the nutmeats and then saved the congealed fat from the broth for later use. Nuts were truly a versatile food!
Can All Types of Nuts Be Eaten Raw?
Most nuts can be enjoyed raw, but some are usually cooked to make them taste even better. While you can munch on raw nuts just as they are, many nuts are dried, roasted, or steamed to boost their flavor and texture.
How Many Types of Nuts Exist?
Since there is some disagreement on what is considered a nut, it’s difficult to say for sure how many types of nuts exist. Most estimations fall somewhere between 20 and 60 different types. Let’s explore some of the most popular ones.
Almonds
Did you know almonds are relatives of peaches, cherries, and apricots? They’re part of the prunus family, just like these juicy fruits!
Almonds pack a protein punch of 21.1 grams per 100 grams, making them one of the highest-protein nuts around. They are also a good plant-based source of calcium and magnesium.
You can enjoy them in many ways: crushed, sliced, roasted, blanched, peeled, ground into flour, pureed into pastes, blended into milk, and even baked into bread!
The almond is the seed inside the fruit of the sweet almond tree. It starts as a bright white nut covered in a reddish-brown shell.
Marcona almonds are a special type of almond known for their amazing taste, texture, and size. They’re so delicious and unique that they’ve earned the title “Queen of Almonds.”
Other Names: Prunus dulcis
Taste Profile: Sweet taste and crunchy texture
Origin: Western parts of Asia and China
True Botanical Nut: No
Cashews
Cashews are small, kidney-shaped seeds wrapped in a toxic double shell. Before being available in the store, they’re roasted, boiled, or steamed to remove these harmful layers. This treatment is necessary because the shell’s oil can irritate your skin.
But once they’re free of the shell, cashews make a delicious snack on their own. They pack the most zinc and copper of any nut.
Since cashews have a unique, creamy texture, they make a great non-dairy milk substitute and are delicious when ground into butter. You can even make rich, buttery chocolate fudge with cashew butter!
Other Names: Pomme de cajou, Acaju
Taste Profile: Rich, creamy, nutty flavor, a bit milder than almonds or peanuts
Origin: Northeastern Brazil
True Botanical Nut: No
Walnuts
Walnuts are packed with omega-3 fats and antioxidants, making them one of the healthiest snacks. They’re also loaded with vitamins and minerals like copper, folic acid, potassium, manganese, and vitamin E.
Even though walnuts aren’t technically a botanical nut, they’re still a fantastic treat. They’re a drupe with a tasty seed inside a hard shell and thick husk. This seed, which we call a nut, has a sweet, oily flavor.
You can munch on walnuts just as they are or toss or garnish them into salads, pasta, breakfast cereals, soups, and baked goods for an extra crunch and rich taste.
Other Names: Juglandaceae, English walnut, Black walnut, California walnut, Butternut
Taste Profile: Earthy, slightly bitter flavor
Origin: Mediterranean region and Central Asia
True Botanical Nut: No
Peanuts
Do you know how many peanuts it takes to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter? 540 peanuts! And here’s a cool fact: peanuts are super sustainable. Every part of the plant gets used, from the roots to the hulls, and they have a tiny water footprint.
You can get creative with peanuts — classic peanut butter cookies are always a hit, but roasted ones also make great salad and stir fry toppers. Boiled peanuts can be turned into soups, sauces, or just enjoyed as a tasty snack. Even peanut skins can be brewed into a relaxing tea!
Peanuts are usually oval-shaped, about an inch long, and grow underground in pods that can hold 1 to 4 peanuts. When shelled, they’re light brown and slightly wrinkled.
Other Names: Groundnut, goober, pindar, monkey nut
Taste Profile: Slightly sweet, earthy flavor
Origin: Brazil or Peru
True Botanical Nut: No
Pecans
Pecans are packed with healthy fats, making them a great snack. They have mottled brown shells that can be thin or thick. Their shape varies from long and pointy to short and round.
Even though pecans are called nuts, they’re actually seeds. You can enjoy them raw, toasted, candied, or as part of a cheese or grazing board.
Did you know that pecans have made it to the moon twice? Astronauts took them on two different Apollo missions.
Other Names: Hickory nut, Bitternut, Mockernut, Shagbark nut
Taste Profile: Sweet, buttery taste with a hint of floral and forest aroma
Origin: Central and eastern North America and the river valleys of Mexico
True Botanical Nut: Yes
Hazelnuts
If you’re a fan of Nutella, you’ll be happy to know that hazelnuts, a key ingredient in this delicious spread, are packed with fiber, protein, and other nutrients. These round or oblong brown nuts come in a husk.
Hazelnuts are versatile and can add great flavor and texture to everything from savory dishes and baked goodies to desserts and chocolate.
Other Names: Cobnuts or filberts
Taste Profile: Distinct, buttery taste, can be sweet and toasted
Origin: Asia and Europe
True Botanical Nut: Yes
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts are known for being one of the priciest nuts out there! They’re perfect for adding to apple crisps, sprinkling on salads, or mixing into white chocolate cookies for a buttery boost. But be warned — macadamia nuts are highly toxic to dogs, so keep them away from your pets.
Technically, macadamia nuts are seeds, not true nuts. They come in a leathery shell and can be either one round nut or two halves. Inside, they have a smooth, hard shell with a creamy white kernel.
Other Names: Queensland nut, bush nut, Maroochi nut, Bauple nut, Hawaiian nut
Taste Profile: Rich, buttery flavor with a creamy sweetness when roasted or salted
Origin: Australia
True Botanical Nut: No
Pistachios
According to legend, the Queen of Sheba loved pistachios so much that she declared them only for royalty and even made it illegal for common people to grow the trees. Talk about being a bit stingy with delicious snacks!
Believe it or not, pistachios aren’t true nuts. They’re actually “drupe” fruits with a seed inside a hard shell. You have to crack the shell to get to the tasty part.
Pistachios are great snacks on their own, but they also make delicious salad toppers or even rich Italian gelato.
Other Names: Kernel pistachio, Akbari, Fandoghi, Red pistachio
Taste Profile: Mildly sweet, nutty flavor with hints of pine, wood, or herbs
Origin: Central Asia, including present-day Iran and Afghanistan
True Botanical Nut: No
Chestnuts
You can roast, boil, puree, grill, steam, deep-fry, candy, or even grind chestnuts into flour. Plus, they’re the only nut that has vitamin C!
Chestnuts grow in clusters of up to seven, hidden inside spiky husks. The nuts are smooth, shiny, and dark brown, with flat and rounded sides. American chestnuts are small, about 5 grams each. Fresh chestnuts are a winter favorite, often enjoyed during the holidays.
Other Names: Fagus Castanea, Sardian nut, Jupiter’s nut, husked nut, Spanish chestnut
Taste Profile: Raw chestnuts are a bit crunchy and bitter, but when cooked, they have a buttery and sweet flavor, just like sweet potatoes
Origin: Caucasus Region
True Botanical Nut: Yes
Acorns
Acorns are like tiny, living oak trees just waiting to grow! Each acorn holds the embryo of an oak tree, and there are hundreds of oak species worldwide, with around 90 native to the U.S. Squirrels are notorious for burying acorns, their preferred nut, and often forgetting where they hid them, which contributes to the growth of new oak trees.
You can munch on acorns raw, but they’re pretty tough, so cooking them is where you mostly get the good stuff. You can bake, roast, or boil them and use them in all kinds of recipes.
Acorns have a seed inside two seed leaves and are wrapped in a tough shell with a cup-shaped cupule.
Other Names: Oaknut, crown hex nut, blind nut, domed cap nut
Taste Profile: Bitter and gritty, but once leached or roasted, they turn nutty and sweet
Origin: North America, Europe, and Asia
True Botanical Nut: Yes
This article originally appeared on Pink When.
Author: Hannah Healy
Hannah Healy is the owner and founder of Healy Eats Real, a website that has provided recipes and lifestyle content for over ten years. She is the published author of The Ultimate Paleo Cookbook and an avid writer in the food, health, and travel spheres. Hannah’s work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Redbook, Fitness, and MSN.