25 Most Popular Types Of Nuts, Explained

You would think that having the word nut in their name would make peanuts an obvious member of the category. However, they are technically legumes. Nonetheless, in practice, peanuts are treated as a nut — possibly the first one you encountered as a child. On top of this double identity, Healthline indicates that peanuts are classified as oilseeds since they are made of about 50% fat. This characteristic means that a large proportion of peanuts are used to make peanut oil worldwide. 

Fats aside, peanuts are an impressive source of plant protein with around 25 grams per 100 grams, topping all other nuts and making them an excellent option for vegetarians, according to the APC. As for micronutrients, APC lists biotin, niacin, magnesium, copper, and vitamin E among the top contenders. In turn, these minerals promote bone, heart, and brain health. Plus, you'll get plenty of antioxidants and healthy plant compounds as you snack on this ubiquitous nut, Healthline says.

While raw peanuts have an array of remarkable attributes, keep in mind that every additional processing step may interfere with some of the benefits. If you love slathering your breakfast toast with Skippy peanut butter, replacing it with a product that only contains nuts (and salt, if desired) is an excellent way to reduce unnecessary vegetable oils and additives. 

Black walnuts are less known than their common counterpart, the English walnut. Nonetheless, the contents are still edible. Being native to North America, you might very well have a tree in your backyard. Per their name, the shells are black and will instantly stain your fingers. (Soak your fingers with lemon juice and rubbing them together for a few minutes to eliminate the dye.) Color aside, black walnuts are larger than English ones and have a round green husk. Once you crack your way through the hull, you'll find the hard black shell that contains the good bits — leave them to dry for a few weeks before going further.

It's no easy feat to extract them, and Almanac suggests using a hammer perpendicular to the shell's seam and removing the insides with pliers. You'll need to be resourceful, but once you get to the center, it's best to let the walnut dry for a day or so. NPR describes the robust flavor as being "un-walnut," adding that it has an earthy, bittersweet, oily character. The oil contains a hefty serving of heart-healthy alpha-linoleic acids, so you can rest assured you're getting a serving of beneficial fats. It certainly takes some effort to reach the heart of this tough nut, but once you taste a classic black walnut cake (which many Midwestern states stake claim to), you'll understand the fuss.

The Brazilian cashew fruit has a hard appendage containing a seed which we refer to as the nut. Botany aside, cashews are nutritionally similar to other nuts, explains Healthline. However, it's not quite as easy as hammering out the seed, and cashews require a bit more coaxing to shed their shells. For starters, the shell contains a resin that is poisonous and can easily burn skin, according to Britannica. The outlet explains that to access the seed, the entire fruit is roasted causing the shell to crack open, burning the toxic residue in turn. Thankfully, unless you're harvesting your own cashews, they've already been appropriately processed and arrive safely for consumption.

Much like other popular nuts, cashews have an array of health benefits when eaten in moderation. In 2019, Current Developments in Nutrition published a study indicating that eating cashews were related to a decrease in blood pressure. Additionally, Healthline reports there may be improvements in heart health, cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and weight maintenance. The outlet points to the high levels of unsaturated fats, fiber, protein, and copper as being partly responsible for these benefits.

For the healthiest outcome, skip heavily salted cashews with plenty of extra oil and opt for cashews with minimal added ingredients. Even better, buy plain cashews and roast and season them yourself for an extra delicious snack.

If you're wondering whether these are simply called nuts in Brazil, they're actually named after their state of origin, Pará. The tree nut grows deep in the heart of the Amazon, encased in a hard shell that holds the edible seed (another instance of false nut advertising). Brazil nuts are larger than average and have a rich, creamy texture that makes them undeniably satisfying.

Thanks to their dense nature, portion control may be easier to moderate, which is essential due to their remarkably high level of selenium. According to The Healthy, a single nut contains around 175% of your recommended daily allowance. Registered dietitian Deborah Malkoff-Cohen tells the outlet that three nuts per day should be your limit to prevent toxicity. She explains that selenium is essential in supporting proper thyroid function, which in turn regulates hormone production associated with metabolism, body temperature, and growth. Additionally, BBC Good Food notes that selenium deficiencies are related to mood disorders, so if you're feeling low, a nut a day might help enhance your well-being.

Apart from the overwhelming selenium levels, BBC Good Food indicates that you'll find essential polyphenols with antioxidant characteristics that decrease inflammation. Pair them with dark chocolate for a nutritious (tasty) snack, grind them into pesto, or crush them up into your granola. The rich buttery consistency is an easy favorite for nut lovers everywhere.

Although you might be most familiar with pine nuts from pesto, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the delicious seeds (yes, the small tear-dropped nut is actually a seed). Per their name, they're found in pine cones growing from one of the 20 or so varieties of trees with edible seeds. However, it's no easy feat to harvest them, and two layers of shells must be removed by hand. HuffPost adds that the pine cone's long maturation period means harvesting occurs every 18 months. These facts explain why creamy pine nuts are among the most expensive nuts on the market.

While pesto recipes often call for a pricey portion of pine nuts, these tiny seeds add plenty of flavors simply toasted and used sparingly. Moderation is a good idea because aside from bankrupting you, overeating pine nuts can cause temporary alterations in taste, making everything bitter and metallic. The Greeks and Romans were apparently fond of pine nuts for their purported aphrodisiac qualities.

Nutritionally, they're high in polyunsaturated fats and calories and contain an array of minerals and vitamins, notably zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, vitamins E and K, per Verywell Fit. Additionally, the outlet praises pine nuts for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which benefit heart health — worth the splurge!

The more familiar relative of candlenuts, macadamias, are small round tree nuts native to Australia and commercially grown primarily in Hawaii. Although they're not as common as peanuts or almonds (and they're far more expensive), macadamias have a deliciously rich and creamy quality that will make you eager for more.

Suppose you're looking for plant-based healthy fats. In that case, the BBC Good Food indicates that they have the highest proportion of monounsaturated fats of any nut, contributing to heart health and stable cholesterol levels. As for micronutrients, Greatist reports that you'll get a hearty dose of manganese, copper, thiamine, and magnesium, which assist with energy, bone health, nervous system function, and immunity. Plus, they're packed with antioxidants and polyphenols, both of which protect against cancer and neural health, as BBC explains.

Countless health benefits aside, macadamias are really tasty! Whether you enjoy them raw or toasted, the crunchy exterior conceals a decadently smooth and subtly sweet interior. In moderation — they are particularly nutritionally dense — these are excellent snacking nuts. For extra flavor, Fine Dining Lovers recommends coating them in your favorite spices before roasting them in the oven at 400 degrees for just under 10 minutes. The source adds that macadamias are a great ingredient for making a vegan cheese substitute.

If you're already a fan of almonds, wait until you try the Marcona variety from coastal Spain. Often referred to as the queen of almonds, this variety is rounder and slightly plumper than your typical California almond. And while the flavor is on another level, the two are pretty similar nutritionally, according to Livestrong. You might need to do some digging around to find them in the U.S., but in native Spain, Marcona almonds make regular appearances in the tapas scene.

You can compare their flavor to a cross between macadamias and regular almonds, and indeed, the rich buttery nuts have a mild sweetness that makes them incredibly tempting. Typically, they're sold lightly fried and salted, creating a pleasant contrast of flavors. Marconas are the ultimate snacking almond, but they're just as delicious sprinkled over a salad or vegetables. Meanwhile, in Spain, they're also used to make marzipan or nougat desserts.Even though they're more expensive than California almonds, Marconas are well worth the extra cost if you can find them.

Chestnuts are certainly larger than most nuts, and that's only the start of their unique features. FoodPrint describes chestnut meat as sweet with a floury texture that sets them apart from crunchier nuts. We have the Romans to thank for these unctuous nuts, as BBC reports that they planted the trees throughout Europe, consuming them as fuel while they conquered land. Nowadays, the outlet remarks that roasted chestnuts are sold in seasonal open-air: the perfect heartwarming snack.

While you can buy roasted and peeled chestnuts in packages, there's nothing quite like roasting them yourself ... on an open fire. If you opt for this classic method, be sure to score the shells to avoid an explosive mess, per BBC. Otherwise, boil, steam, or grind them into flour for baking. Their subtle sweetness and remarkable consistency make chestnuts a versatile addition in the kitchen. FoodPrint suggests adding them to stuffing, soup, salad, cake, or candying them as an easy treat.

Given their starchy texture, it's no surprise that chestnuts are nutritionally unlike most nuts. Per Healthline, they're very low in fat and, conversely, high in complex carbohydrates (sorry, keto followers). Additionally, they contain a number of micronutrients and are the only nut to have vitamin C.

Coconut shows up in dozens of cuisines worldwide, and it's no surprise given its heavenly flavor. They have a fluid identity and are simultaneously considered a fruit, seed, and nut depending on the context. 

Labels aside, coconuts are the perfect way to infuse your diet with tropical flavors. Whether you cook with coconut oil, shredded flesh, or milk, sip on the water, or eat chunks of it fresh, you won't want to skip this sweet treat. The mildly sweet and nutty flavor is suitable for a wide range of dishes, whether it stars in a creamy curry or toasted to garnish banana bread. According to Healthline, regardless of how you prepare it, coconut is loaded with saturated fats, protein, fiber, manganese, copper, and iron. Its nutritional profile makes it a satiating element in any recipe, though keep in mind that moderation is best due to the high fat and calorie content.

Although you might be more familiar with palm oil or hearts, palm nuts are an important component of the former. These are the seed of the palm fruit and are processed to make palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm nuts are native to Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, and the Gambia) and have eventually found their way to certain Southeast Asian countries.

Although Soups Junction writes that a large proportion of the palm nut harvest is used to make oil, a traditional West African soup — mbanga — is primarily made with palm nuts. Typically, the nut pulp is pounded into a paste and mixed with protein such as smoked fish. Meanwhile, the oil is used in many culinary preparations, beauty products, and in soap. Soups Junction writes that many manufactured food products such as bread, cookies, and cakes use aromatic palm oil to enhance the overall flavor. Soups Junction also mentions that, nutritionally, the nuts contain heart-healthy fats, plenty of antioxidants, and high levels of vitamins A, K, and C.

Tiger nuts are perfectly fit for vegetarian diets — the name only refers to their lightly striped skin. To be botanically accurate, these aren't actually nuts but tubers. That being said, eliminate images of large root vegetables or you'll skip right over them. Instead, expect a roughly rounded chickpea-like shape with a wrinkly exterior and chewy texture. They have a subtle nutty sweetness and a flavor that overlaps with almonds and pecans. 

These are great as a snack, mixed with cereal, or ground into flour for gluten-free treats. The small orbs have been a component of diets for millennia, even appearing in ancient Egyptian burials. A little more recently they were commonly used in Spain to make a milky beverage known as horchata de chufa, a relative of the modern-day Mexican drink.

The nutritional benefits of these tiny tubers are plentiful and include vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, though they really stand out as a fiber source. Tiger nuts are loaded with resistant starches which are thought to have positive probiotic health effects and help maintain stable blood sugar levels, per Healthline.

Much like Coca-Cola, kola nuts are packed with caffeine. In fact, they were once an ingredient in the soft drink. The nut is found in West Africa, where it is a common crop in many regions, and consequently, sold all over. Chewed for its stimulant properties, you're looking at a generous dose of caffeine in each nut. Additionally, they can be dried and brewed to make an energizing tea. Aside from caffeine, kola nuts contain theobromine, a compound popularly found in cacao or pure chocolate.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration lists them among the foods generally recognized as safe, however, if you are sensitive to caffeine you might want to avoid these stimulating nuts. Many research studies assessing their supposed benefits are done on rats, so there isn't enough information to verify most of the claims. Nevertheless, they continue to play an important role in West African cultures, and stateside can be found in some energy drinks. Considering the nut's bitter taste, you'd do well to mix it with a sweet soda to mask some of the flavors.

Hazelnuts are pretty ubiquitous, whether you're eating them raw, roasted, or blended into Nutella. However, the Chilean hazelnut (sometimes known as Chilean macadamia) is unlike what you're probably used to. As explicitly noted in its name, the variety is native to Chile and neighboring areas of Argentina. It turns out they are more closely related to macadamias than to the hazelnuts found stateside. Still, a subtly overlapping flavor profile caused the Spanish people who first tasted them to name them as such.

While the shape is sort of similar to hazelnuts as we know them, the Chilean variety (aka avellanas), usually comes in halves. The seeds are a nutritious snack either raw, boiled, or toasted. They are also used as an ingredient in baked goods and various treats. The omega-3 fat content is relatively high, however, they are not especially creamy. The nutty flavor is complemented by the toasting process and a hint of sweetness. Although you won't find these nuts at your average supermarket just yet, keep an eye out in the future as Tridge reports that this past growing year continues the trend of a steadily increasing production.