Difference Between Nuts and Seeds: 5 Types of Nuts

The botanical definition of a nut is a dry fruit with a hard outer shell, which is the ovary wall of the plant. True nuts have a single seed, a hard shell, and a protective husk on the outside; however, the line between botanical nuts and culinary nuts is blurry. In the culinary world, nuts sometimes receive other classifications, such as seeds, legumes, or drupes (fleshy fruits with thin skin and an inner stone or pit containing a seed).

A botanical seed is an embryo stage of a plant, which contains an embryo, an endosperm, and a seed coat (stored food to nourish the growing plant). Some seeds shed the seed coat and are fit for consumption, but others do not shed their seed coat and are inedible. Many seeds are spices, including mustard seed, coriander, and nutmeg. There are also foods people commonly refer to as nuts—examples include Brazil nuts and macadamia nuts—that are actually seeds.

Some foods are nuts in common name only—true nuts are dry fruits that possess a shell. Here are five examples of true nuts:

1. 1. Acorns: With a hard shell and an edible kernel, acorns in their raw form contain tannins that are toxic to humans. However, if acorns undergo processing to leach the tannins away from the acorns, they become safe for humans to eat.
2. 2. Chestnuts: A common food to roast over an open fire, a chestnut is the edible nut of the chestnut tree. Chestnut shells are very hard, requiring you to cook chestnuts or use a nutcracker to reach the actual chestnut.
3. 3. Hazelnuts: A popular coffee and dessert flavoring, hazelnuts are the fruits of the hazel tree. Other names for hazelnuts include cobnuts and filberts.
4. 4. Pecans: With a crunchy texture and an oily mouthfeel, pecans are native to Mexico and the southern part of the United States. Prepare them dry-roasted or candied. Alternatively, you can grind raw pecans to produce pecan meal, from which you can make pecan butter.
5. 5. Walnuts: These true nuts have a waxy husk and crunchy interior. Walnuts are both tree nuts and drupes (fruits with a stone containing a seed), which makes it difficult for experts to classify them as one or the other. For this reason, you might see people refer to walnuts as drupaceous nuts.

Some foods contain the word “nut” in their common names despite actually being seeds. Here are eight foods that are seeds according to the botanical definition:

1. 1. Brazil nuts: A high-calorie seed, a Brazil nut is actually the edible seed of the Brazil nut tree. The seed rests beneath a thin skin inside a shell, causing many people to wrongly believe these true seeds are nuts.
2. 2. Chia seeds: The edible seeds of a flowering plant in the mint family, chia seeds are small and either black or white. With the introduction of a liquid, they form a gelatinous outer coating, such as is necessary in chia pudding recipes.
3. 3. Flaxseeds: Ground flaxseeds are easier to digest than flaxseeds with their seed coats still intact. They have many culinary uses, such as in smoothies, oatmeal, and baked goods. One common use for flaxseeds is as an egg substitute in vegan recipes.
4. 4. Macadamia nuts: The edible seeds of the fruit from the macadamia tree, macadamia nuts are oily and round. Use them in cookies, granola, nut mixes, or other dishes.
5. 5. Pine nuts: Delicately flavored pine nuts, commonly used in Italian pesto recipes, are the seeds of pine trees. They are small, oval, and very oily, which enables them to toast well.
6. 6. Poppy seeds: A product of poppy plants, poppy seeds are an ingredient in everything bagel seasoning, as well as in other seasoning and spice blends.
7. 7. Pumpkin seeds: The next time you are cooking or carving a pumpkin, reserve the seeds. Toss pumpkin seeds in oil and then toast them in the oven to make a nutty, salty, and crunchy snack.
8. 8. Sesame seeds: The edible seeds of a flowering plant by the same name, sesame seeds are an ingredient in sesame oil, tahini, and everything bagel seasoning, among other foods.

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