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{{short description|In botany, type of dry indehiscent fruit}} {{Short description|Fruit with outer shell protecting kernel}}
{{pp-move-indef}} {{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
A '''nut''' is a ] consisting of a hard or tough ] protecting a kernel which is usually edible. In general usage and in a culinary sense, many dry ]s are called nuts, but in a botanical context, "nut" implies that the shell does not open to release the ] (]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/science/nut-plant-reproductive-body |title=Nut: Plant reproductive body |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica |date=6 June 2024 |access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>
]s are both botanical and culinary nuts.]]
]s, which are also botanical nuts; ]s, which are not botanical nuts, but rather the seeds of a ]; and ]s, ]s, and ]s (which are not botanical nuts, but rather the seeds of ]s)]]


Most seeds come from fruits that naturally free themselves from the shell, but this is not the case in nuts such as ]s, ]s, and ]s, which have hard shell walls and originate from a compound ovary. <ref name="tree_nuts_composition_phytochemicals_and_health_effects">{{Cite book |last1=Alasalvar |first1=Cesarettin |last2=Shahidi |first2=Fereidoon |title=Tree Nuts: Composition, Phytochemicals, and Health Effects (Nutraceutical Science and Technology) |date=17 December 2008 |publisher=CRC |isbn=978-0-8493-3735-2 |page=143}}</ref>
A '''nut''' is a] consisting of a hard or tough ] protecting a kernel which is usually edible. In general usage and in a culinary sense, a wide variety of dry ]s are called nuts, but in a botanical context "nut" implies that the shell does not open to release the ] (]).

Most seeds come from fruits that naturally free themselves from the shell, but this is not the case in nuts such as ]s, ]s, and ]s, which have hard shell walls and originate from a compound ovary. The general and original usage of the term is less restrictive, and many nuts (in the culinary sense), such as ]s, ]s, and ]s,<ref name="tree_nuts_composition_phytochemicals_and_health_effects">{{Cite book | last1 = Alasalvar | first1 = Cesarettin | last2 = Shahidi | first2 = Fereidoon | title = Tree Nuts: Composition, Phytochemicals, and Health Effects (Nutraceutical Science and Technology) | date = 17 December 2008 | publisher = CRC | isbn = 978-0-8493-3735-2 | page = 143 }}</ref> are not nuts in a botanical sense. Common usage of the term often refers to any hard-walled, edible kernel as a nut.<ref name="the_encyclopedia_of_seeds">{{Cite book | last1 = Black | first1 = Michael H. | last2 = Halmer | first2 = Peter | title = The encyclopedia of seeds: science, technology and uses | url = https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofse00mich | url-access = limited | year = 2006 | publisher = CABI | location = Wallingford, UK | isbn = 978-0-85199-723-0 | page = }}</ref> Nuts are an ] and ]-rich food source.<ref name="lpi">{{cite web | title=Nuts | publisher=Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR | date=1 September 2018 | url=https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/nuts | access-date=28 March 2019 | archive-date=28 March 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328191713/https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/nuts | url-status=live }}</ref>


== Definition == == Definition ==
]
A seed is the mature fertilised ] of a plant; it consists of three parts, the ] which will develop into a new plant, stored food for the embryo, and a protective seed coat. ], a nut is a fruit with a woody ] developing from a syncarpous ]. Nuts may be contained in an ], a cup-shaped structure formed from the flower ]s. The involucre may be scaly, spiny, leafy or tubular, depending on the species of nut.<ref name=Palomar>{{cite web |url=https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ecoph8.htm |title=Fruits Called Nuts |author=Armstrong, W.P. |date=15 March 2009 |publisher=Palomar College |access-date=28 June 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107151123/https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ecoph8.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Most nuts come from the ] with ''inferior'' ovaries (see ]) and all are ''indehiscent'' (not opening at maturity). True nuts are produced, for example, by some plant families of the ] ]. These include ] (''Fagus''), ] (''Castanea''), ] (''Quercus''), ] (''Lithocarpus'') and ] (''Notholithocarpus'') in the family ], as well as ], ] (''Corylus'') and ] (''Carpinus'') in the family ].


A small nut may be called a "nutlet" (formerly called a nucule,<ref name=nucule>E.g., {{Citation |last=Lindley |first=John |author-link=John Lindley |title=The Vegetable Kingdom |publisher=Bradbury and Evans |date=1846 |location=London |pages=66 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ybw9AAAAYAAJ}}; compare {{cite web |url=https://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Verbenaceae.htm |title=Verbenaceae: Plants of the Verbena Family |last=Elpel |first=Thomas J. |date=1997–2021 |website=Wildflowers-and-Weeds.com |access-date=28 April 2024}} The term ''nucula'' was applied specifically to hazelnuts (''Corylus'') in {{cite book |last=Watson |first=P. W. |author-link=Peter William Watson |title=Dendrologia Britannica |publisher=Author |date=1825 |location=London |pages=xlix |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J2Q-AAAAcAAJ}}</ref> a term otherwise referring to the ] of ]<ref name=stonewort>{{cite book |last=Lindley |first=John |author-link=John Lindley |title=An Introduction to the Natural System of Botany |publisher=G & C & H Carvill |date=1831 |location=New York |pages=323 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q2QaAAAAYAAJ}}</ref>). In ], the term "nutlet" can be used to describe a ] or pyrene, which is a ] covered by a stony layer, such as the kernel of a ].<ref name=pyrena>{{cite web |url=https://www.mobot.org/mobot/latindict/keyDetail.aspx?keyWord=drupe |title=A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin s.v. Drupe |last=Eckel |first=P. M. |date=2010–2023 |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden |access-date=28 April 2024}}</ref>
A seed is the mature fertilised ] of a plant; it consists of three parts, the ] which will develop into a new plant, stored food for the embryo, and a protective seed coat. ], a nut is a fruit with a woody ] developing from a syncarpous ]. Nuts may be contained in an ], a cup-shaped structure formed from the flower ]s. The involucre may be scaly, spiny, leafy or tubular, depending on the species of nut.<ref name=Palomar>{{cite web |url=https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ecoph8.htm |title=Fruits Called Nuts |author=Armstrong, W.P. |date=15 March 2009 |publisher=Palomar College |accessdate=28 June 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107151123/https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ecoph8.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Most nuts come from the ] with ''inferior'' ovaries (see ]) and all are ''indehiscent'' (not opening at maturity). True nuts are produced, for example, by some plant families of the ] ]. These include ] (''Fagus''), ] (''Castanea''), ] (''Quercus''), ] (''Lithocarpus'') and ] (''Notholithocarpus'') in the family ], as well as ], ] (''Corylus'') and ] (''Carpinus'') in the family ].
Walnuts and ] (]) have fruits that are difficult to classify. They are considered to be nuts under some definitions but are also referred to as ] nuts.<ref name="Palomar" />


==Evolutionary history==
Also widely known as nuts are dry ]s, which include ]s (''Carya illinoensis''), ]s (''Prunus amygdalus''), ] (''Macadamia integrifolia''), ] (''Aleurites moluccanus'') and the ] (''Trapa bicornis''). A drupe is an ] fruit that has an outer fleshy part consisting of the ], or skin, and ], or flesh, which surround a single pit or stone, the ] with a ] (kernel) inside. In a dry drupe, the outer parts dry up and the remaining husk is part of the ovary wall or ], and the hard inner wall surrounding the seed represents the inner part of the pericarp.<ref name=Palomar/>
{{Empty section|date=January 2025}}

A small nut may be called a "nutlet" (or nucule,{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} a term otherwise referring to the ] of ]). In ], the term "nutlet" specifically refers to a ] or pyrene, which is a ] covered by a stony layer, such as the kernel of a ].{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} Walnuts and ] (]) have fruits that are difficult to classify. They are considered to be nuts under some definitions but are also referred to as ] nuts.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

In common use, a "tree nut" is, as the name implies, any nut coming from a tree. This most often comes up regarding ]; a person may be allergic specifically to peanuts (which are not tree nuts but ]s), whereas others may be allergic to the wider range of nuts that grow on trees.

==Production==
]
{{Bar chart
| float=right
| title=2019 world production<br /><small>in millions of tonnes</small><ref name="faostat">{{cite web
| publisher=], Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT)
| title=Production of nuts (use pick lists for Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity)
| url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC
| date=2019
| access-date=27 June 2021
| archive-date=11 May 2017
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511194947/http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC
| url-status=live
}}</ref>
| label_type=Nut
| data_type=Production
| label1=]
| data1=62.5
| label2=]s
| data2=48.8
| label3=]s
| data3=4.5
| label4=]s
| data4=4.0
| label5=]s
| data5=3.5
| label6=]s
| data6=2.4
| label7=]s
| data7=1.1
| label8=]s
| data8=0.9
| label9=]s
| data9=0.07
}}

In the 21st century, about a dozen species constitute most of the worldwide production of nuts, shown in the table below for major commercial nuts.<ref name="faostat"/><ref>{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0WjoH4jchEMC&q=world-wide%20nut%20production&pg=PT14| page=14| title=Nut Grower's Guide: The Complete Handbook for Producers and Hobbyists| author=Wilkinson, Jennifer| publisher=Csiro Publishing| year=2005| isbn=0-643-06963-1| access-date=27 June 2021| archive-date=27 April 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427120913/https://books.google.com/books?id=0WjoH4jchEMC&q=world-wide%20nut%20production&pg=PT14| url-status=live}}</ref>

{| style="width:98%;" class="wikitable"
! style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3a4;" colspan="5"|Culinary nuts
|-
! style="width:15%;"|Name
! Image
! style="width:15%;"|Origin
! style="width:25%;"|Description
! style="width:25%;"|Production
|-
|] <br>(''Prunus dulcis'')
|]
|Originated in Iran and the surrounding area.
|The fruit is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell, the endocarp, containing a single seed.<ref name=Palomar/> Almonds are sold shelled or unshelled. Blanched almonds are almonds with the shells removed that have been treated with hot water to soften the seed coat, which is then removed.
|World production of unshelled almonds in 2019 was 3.5&nbsp;million tonnes, and the largest producing countries were the United States, Spain, Iran, Turkey and Morocco.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Bertholletia excelsa'')
|]
|Native to tropical South America where the nuts are gathered from forest trees growing in the wild.
|The nuts are hard-shelled seeds borne in a hard, woody capsule.<ref name=Palomar/>
|In 2019, global production of Brazil nuts was 78,000 tonnes, most of which were harvested from the ] of Brazil and Bolivia.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Anacardium occidentale'')
|]
|Originated in northeastern Brazil and widely grown in the tropics.
|The fruit is a thick-shelled, seed-bearing drupe borne at the apex of a fleshy stalk known as a cashew apple.<ref name=Palomar/>
|World production in 2019 of cashew nuts with shells was around 4 million tonnes, with Côte d'Ivoire and India being the main producing countries.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Castanea spp.'')
|]
|Native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and was at one time a staple crop in some regions.
|It is a true nut and grows in a spiny, cup-shaped involucre formed from the calyx.<ref name=Palomar/>
|World production in 2019 was 2.4&nbsp;million tonnes, and the main producing countries were China, Turkey, South Korea, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Cocos nucifera'')
|]
|Grown throughout the tropics.
|The fruit is a dry ], with both the ] and the ] developing from the endosperm, being surrounded by the fibrous husk.<ref name=Palomar/>
|Has the largest world production of any nuts, with a global figure of 62.51&nbsp;million tonnes in 2019, with Indonesia, the Philippines and India being the largest producers.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Corylus avellana'')
|]
|Native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
|The fruit is a true nut and grows in a leafy or tubular involucre formed from the calyx.<ref name=Palomar/>
|In 2019, world production of hazelnuts in shells was 1.1&nbsp;million tonnes, predominantly grown in Turkey, with other notable producing countries being Italy, Azerbaijan, the United States, Chile and China.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Macadamia'' spp.)
|]
|Indigenous to Australia and an important food for the ] before Europeans arrived.
|The fruit is a hard, woody, globose follicle with a pointed apex, containing one or two seeds.
|Total world production in 2018 was 200,000 tonnes, South Africa being the largest producer, followed by Australia and Kenya.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.agriorbit.com/more-and-more-macadamia-produced-globally-world-nut-conference/|title=More and more macadamia produced globally|last=Motaung|first=Ntswaki|date=30 May 2018 |website=Agriorbit|language=en-US|access-date=5 July 2021|archive-date=15 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115235620/https://www.agriorbit.com/more-and-more-macadamia-produced-globally-world-nut-conference/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|] <br>(''Arachis hypogaea'')
|]
|Originated in South America and may have been in cultivation for 10,000 years. Widely grown in the tropics.
|The plant is a ] and the fruit is a papery pod containing one or more nut-like seeds.<ref name=Palomar/>
|World production in 2019 was 49 million tonnes, China is the largest producing country, followed by India, Nigeria, Sudan, and the United States.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Carya illinoinensis'')
|]
|Native to the southern United States and northern Mexico.
|The fruit is a pseudo-drupe with a green, semi-fleshy husk.
|Two to three million tonnes are harvested annually; in the United States, most pecans are produced in Georgia, New Mexico and Texas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/nuts/pecans/ |title=Pecans |publisher=Agricultural Marketing Resource Center |date=August 2015 |access-date=5 July 2021 |archive-date=12 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412011216/https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/nuts/pecans |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|]s <br>(''Pinus'' spp.)
|]
|Northern hemisphere.
|Seeds extracted from woody cones.<ref name=Palomar/>
|In 2017, world production was 23,600 tons, the main producing countries being South Korea, Russia, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Malinda |last1=Geisler |first2=Christina |last2=Romero |title=Pine Nuts |date=October 2018 |url=http://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/nuts/pine-nuts/ |publisher=agmrc.org |access-date=6 July 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410145856/https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/nuts/pine-nuts |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|] <br>(''Pistacia vera'')
|]
|Native to Central Asia, where it is a desert tree.
|The fruit is a drupe, containing a single elongated seed in a hard, cream-coloured shell, which abruptly splits open when ripe.<ref name=Palomar/>
|World production in 2019 totalled 0.9&nbsp;million tonnes, the main producing countries being Iran and the United States, with lesser quantities coming from China and Turkey.<ref name="faostat"/>
|-
|] <br>(''Juglans regia'')<br>] <br>(''Juglans nigra'')
|]
|''J. regia'' originated in south eastern Europe, western/central Asia, and ''J. nigra'' originated in the eastern United States.
|The fruit is a pseudo-drupe with a green, semi-fleshy husk.<ref name=Palomar/>
|In 2019, world production of walnuts in shells was 4.5&nbsp;million tonnes, predominantly grown in China, with other notable producing countries being the United States and Iran.<ref name="faostat"/>
|}


== Toxicity == == Toxicity ==
Nuts used for food are a common source of food allergens.<ref name="lpi" /> Reactions can range from mild symptoms to severe ones, a condition known as ], which can be life-threatening. The reaction is due to the release of ] by the body in response to an ] in the nuts, causing ].<ref>{{cite web |author=Harding, Mary |title=Nut Allergy |url=https://patient.info/allergies-blood-immune/food-allergy-and-intolerance/nut-allergy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130123419/https://patient.info/allergies-blood-immune/food-allergy-and-intolerance/nut-allergy |archive-date=30 January 2022 |accessdate=10 July 2021 |publisher=Patient}}</ref> Many experts suggest that a person with an allergy to peanuts should avoid eating tree nuts, and vice versa.<ref name="lpi" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Common Food Allergens |url=http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613040928/http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html |archive-date=13 June 2007 |access-date=24 June 2007 |publisher=]}}</ref> Nuts used for food are a common source of food allergens.<ref name="lpi">{{cite web |title=Nuts |publisher=Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR |date=1 September 2018 |url=https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/nuts |access-date=28 March 2019 |archive-date=28 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328191713/https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/nuts |url-status=live}}</ref> Reactions can range from mild symptoms to severe ones, a condition known as ], which can be life-threatening. The reaction is due to the release of ] by the body in response to an ] in the nuts, causing ].<ref>{{cite web |author=Harding, Mary |title=Nut Allergy |url=https://patient.info/allergies-blood-immune/food-allergy-and-intolerance/nut-allergy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130123419/https://patient.info/allergies-blood-immune/food-allergy-and-intolerance/nut-allergy |archive-date=30 January 2022 |access-date=10 July 2021 |publisher=Patient}}</ref> Many experts suggest that a person with an allergy to peanuts should avoid eating tree nuts, and vice versa.<ref name="lpi" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Common Food Allergens |url=http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613040928/http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html |archive-date=13 June 2007 |access-date=24 June 2007 |publisher=]}}</ref>


== Nutrition == == Consumption as food ==
{{Main|Nut (food)}}
]Nuts contain the diverse nutrients that are needed for the growth of a new plant.<ref name="lpi" /> Composition varies, but they tend to have a low water and ] content, with high levels of fats, ], ], and ]s.<ref name="lpi" />


] (''Tamias striatus'') with a hazelnut in its mouth]]Nuts are eaten by humans and wildlife.<ref name="lpi" /> Because nuts generally have a high oil content, they are a significant energy source.<ref name="lpi" /> Many seeds are edible by humans and used in cooking, eaten raw, sprouted, or roasted as a ], ground to make nut butters, or pressed for oil that is used in cooking and cosmetics.<ref name="lpi" />
], sold as a snack food]]Nuts contain the diverse nutrients that are needed for the growth of a new plant.<ref name="lpi" /> Composition varies, but they tend to have a low water and ] content, with high levels of fats, ], ], and ]s.<ref name="lpi" /> The digestibility of the protein at about 90% is slightly lower than that of meat and fish, but can be improved by chewing thoroughly.<ref name="Jaffa">{{cite book |author=Jaffa, Myer Edward |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4mYede5wlGAC&pg=PA14 |title=Nuts and Their Uses as Food |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |year=1908 |pages=14–18 |access-date=10 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427120913/https://books.google.com/books?id=4mYede5wlGAC&pg=PA14 |archive-date=27 April 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> The fats are largely ] and nuts are a source of essential ]s.<ref name="lpi" /><ref name="Whitney">{{cite book |author1=Whitney, Ellie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9xREDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT755 |title=Understanding Nutrition |author2=Rolfes, Sharon Rady |publisher=Cengage Learning |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-337-67237-5 |pages=755– |access-date=10 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427120913/https://books.google.com/books?id=9xREDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT755 |archive-date=27 April 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> As part of a healthy human diet, long-term consumption of diverse nutrients in nuts may contribute to a lower risk of ], reduced levels of ], and lower ].<ref name="lpi" /> For vegetarians and ], nuts provide many of the essential nutrients which may be in short supply in other ].<ref name="Jaffa" />

Nuts supply nutrients for humans and wildlife.<ref name="lpi" /> Because nuts generally have a high oil content, they are a significant energy source.<ref name="lpi" /> Many seeds are edible by humans and used in cooking, eaten raw, sprouted, or roasted as a ], ground to make nut butters, or pressed for oil that is used in cooking and cosmetics.<ref name="lpi" /> Regular nut consumption of more than {{convert|5|oz|g}} per week may benefit weight control and contribute to lowering body weight in humans.<ref name="lpi" />


===Constituents=== ===Constituents===
Nuts are the source of energy and nutrients for the new plant. They contain a relatively large quantity of calories, essential ] and ]s including ] and ], vitamins, and essential amino acids.<ref name=lpi/> Many nuts are good sources of ], ], ], ], and essential minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium.<ref name=lpi/><ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Kris-Etherton PM, Yu-Poth S, Sabaté J, Ratcliffe HE, Zhao G, Etherton TD |year=1999|title= Nuts and their bioactive constituents: effects on serum lipids and other factors that affect disease risk|journal= Am J Clin Nutr |volume=70|pages= 504S–511S|pmid=10479223|issue=3 Suppl|doi=10.1093/ajcn/70.3.504s|doi-access=free}}</ref> Nuts are the source of energy and nutrients for the new plant. They contain a relatively large quantity of calories, essential ] and ]s including ] and ], vitamins, and essential amino acids.<ref name=lpi/>

This table lists the percentage of various nutrients in four unroasted seeds.
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|-
! Name
! Protein
! Total fat
! Saturated fat
! Polyunsaturated fat
! Monounsaturated fat
! Carbohydrate
|-
| Almonds
| 21.26
| 50.64
| 3.881
| 12.214
| 32.155
| 28.1
|-
| Walnuts
| 15.23
| 65.21
| 6.126
| 47.174
| 8.933
| 19.56
|-
| Peanuts
| 23.68
| 49.66
| 6.893
| 15.694
| 24.64
| 26.66
|-
| Pistachio
| 20.61
| 44.44
| 5.44
| 13.455
| 23.319
| 34.95
|}

=== Research ===
Nuts are under preliminary research to assess whether their consumption is associated with lower risk for some diseases, such as ] and cancer.<ref name=lpi/><ref name=Au2016>{{cite journal|last1=Aune|first1=D|last2=Keum|first2=N|last3=Giovannucci|first3=E|last4=Fadnes|first4=LT|last5=Boffetta|first5=P|last6=Greenwood|first6=DC|last7=Tonstad|first7=S|last8=Vatten|first8=LJ|last9=Riboli|first9=E|last10=Norat|first10=T|title=Nut consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.|journal=BMC Medicine|date=5 December 2016|volume=14|issue=1|pages=207|pmid=27916000|doi=10.1186/s12916-016-0730-3|pmc=5137221|doi-access=free}}</ref> A 2014 review indicated that consuming one or more servings of nuts or ] per day was associated with lower risk of ], overall cardiovascular disease, stroke in women, and all-cause ].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Luo|first1=C|last2=Zhang|first2=Y|last3=Ding|first3=Y|last4=Shan|first4=Z|last5=Chen|first5=S|last6=Yu|first6=M|last7=Hu|first7=FB|last8=Liu|first8=L|title=Nut consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.|journal=American Journal of Clinical Nutrition|date=July 2014|volume=100|issue=1|pages=256–69|doi=10.3945/ajcn.113.076109|pmid=24847854|doi-access=free}}</ref> A 2022 umbrella review confirmed these findings and found a 22% reduction in all-cause mortality.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Rajiv Balakrishna, Tonje Bjørnerud, Mitra Bemanian, Dagfinn Aune, Lars T Fadnes | date=2022|title=Consumption of Nuts and Seeds and Health Outcomes Including Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Cancer, and Mortality: an Umbrella Review |journal= Advances in Nutrition | volume=13| issue=6| pages=2136–2148|doi=10.1093/advances/nmac077| pmid=36041171| pmc=9776667}}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
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'''Further reading''' == Further reading ==
*Albala, Ken (2014) ''Nuts A Global History''. The Edible Series. {{ISBN|978-1-78023-282-9}} * Albala, Ken (2014) ''Nuts A Global History''. The Edible Series. {{ISBN|978-1-78023-282-9}}

==External links==
* {{Cookbook-inline|Nuts and Seeds}}


{{Nuts}} {{Nuts}}
{{Fruits}} {{Fruits}}
{{Non-timber forest products}} {{Non-timber forest products}}
{{Plant-based diets}}
{{Subject bar|portal1=Food|portal2=Plants|auto=yes|wikt=nut|commonscat=Nuts}}
{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 20:33, 22 January 2025

Fruit with outer shell protecting kernel

A nut is a fruit consisting of a hard or tough nutshell protecting a kernel which is usually edible. In general usage and in a culinary sense, many dry seeds are called nuts, but in a botanical context, "nut" implies that the shell does not open to release the seed (indehiscent).

Most seeds come from fruits that naturally free themselves from the shell, but this is not the case in nuts such as hazelnuts, chestnuts, and acorns, which have hard shell walls and originate from a compound ovary.

Definition

black and white cross-section drawing of a shagbark hickory nut
Diagram of a shagbark hickory nut

A seed is the mature fertilised ovule of a plant; it consists of three parts, the embryo which will develop into a new plant, stored food for the embryo, and a protective seed coat. Botanically, a nut is a fruit with a woody pericarp developing from a syncarpous gynoecium. Nuts may be contained in an involucre, a cup-shaped structure formed from the flower bracts. The involucre may be scaly, spiny, leafy or tubular, depending on the species of nut. Most nuts come from the pistils with inferior ovaries (see flower) and all are indehiscent (not opening at maturity). True nuts are produced, for example, by some plant families of the order Fagales. These include beech (Fagus), chestnut (Castanea), oak (Quercus), stone-oak (Lithocarpus) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus) in the family Fagaceae, as well as hazel, filbert (Corylus) and hornbeam (Carpinus) in the family Betulaceae.

A small nut may be called a "nutlet" (formerly called a nucule, a term otherwise referring to the oogonium of stoneworts). In botany, the term "nutlet" can be used to describe a pyrena or pyrene, which is a seed covered by a stony layer, such as the kernel of a drupe. Walnuts and hickories (Juglandaceae) have fruits that are difficult to classify. They are considered to be nuts under some definitions but are also referred to as drupaceous nuts.

Evolutionary history

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Toxicity

Nuts used for food are a common source of food allergens. Reactions can range from mild symptoms to severe ones, a condition known as anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. The reaction is due to the release of histamine by the body in response to an allergen in the nuts, causing skin and other possible reactions. Many experts suggest that a person with an allergy to peanuts should avoid eating tree nuts, and vice versa.

Consumption as food

Main article: Nut (food)
Chocolate cake with hazelnuts

Nuts contain the diverse nutrients that are needed for the growth of a new plant. Composition varies, but they tend to have a low water and carbohydrate content, with high levels of fats, protein, dietary minerals, and vitamins.

An Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) with a hazelnut in its mouth

Nuts are eaten by humans and wildlife. Because nuts generally have a high oil content, they are a significant energy source. Many seeds are edible by humans and used in cooking, eaten raw, sprouted, or roasted as a snack food, ground to make nut butters, or pressed for oil that is used in cooking and cosmetics.

Constituents

Nuts are the source of energy and nutrients for the new plant. They contain a relatively large quantity of calories, essential unsaturated and monounsaturated fats including linoleic acid and linolenic acid, vitamins, and essential amino acids.

See also

References

  1. "Nut: Plant reproductive body". Encyclopedia Britannica. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  2. Alasalvar, Cesarettin; Shahidi, Fereidoon (17 December 2008). Tree Nuts: Composition, Phytochemicals, and Health Effects (Nutraceutical Science and Technology). CRC. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-8493-3735-2.
  3. ^ Armstrong, W.P. (15 March 2009). "Fruits Called Nuts". Palomar College. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  4. E.g., Lindley, John (1846), The Vegetable Kingdom, London: Bradbury and Evans, p. 66; compare Elpel, Thomas J. (1997–2021). "Verbenaceae: Plants of the Verbena Family". Wildflowers-and-Weeds.com. Retrieved 28 April 2024. The term nucula was applied specifically to hazelnuts (Corylus) in Watson, P. W. (1825). Dendrologia Britannica. London: Author. pp. xlix.
  5. Lindley, John (1831). An Introduction to the Natural System of Botany. New York: G & C & H Carvill. p. 323.
  6. Eckel, P. M. (2010–2023). "A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin s.v. Drupe". Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Nuts". Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. 1 September 2018. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  8. Harding, Mary. "Nut Allergy". Patient. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  9. "Common Food Allergens". Food Allergy Research & Education. Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2007.

Further reading

Nuts
True, or botanical nuts
Drupes
Gymnosperms
Angiosperms
Types of fruits
Types of fruits
Categories of fruits
Function
Non-timber forest products
Animal products
Edible plants / roots
Mushrooms
Resins
Sap / gum / etc.
Other
Related
Categories:
Nut (fruit): Difference between revisions Add topic