Nuts

To a botanist, a nut is a dry fruit encased in a hard shell which is the ovary wall of the plant. In common usage, however, if a plant looks like a nut, tastes like a nut, and cracks like a nut, it is a nut. Many so-called nuts are actually seeds. Examples of these faux nuts are almonds, cashews, pine nuts, Macadamia nuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, and walnuts. Peanuts are not nuts, but legumes.

Although high in oil content and, therefore, high in calories, nuts (whether botanist’s type or not) are high in nutritional value. They contain vitamins E, F, and G; magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium; and Omega 3, linoleic, and linolenic fatty acids. Many nutritionists recommend daily consumption of nuts. They make an ideal snack food.