Nut

Any of a variety of dry fruits that has an edible kernel and a membranous inner casing surrounded by a shell which can be hard, thin, or brittle. Technically speaking, some foods that are commonly referred to as nuts are actually seeds (Brazil nut), tubers (chufa nut), or legumes (peanut). Most nuts are available both shelled and unshelled. The shelled nuts can be found blanched or not, oil-roasted, dry-roasted, salted, whole, halved, candied, broken, chopped, etc. The flavor of most nuts is accentuated with a light toasting. Due to the high fat content in nuts, they can become rancid. To prevent this, shelled nuts should be stored in an airtight container in a cool place or in the freezer. Popular byproducts of nuts include oils, butters, meal, and flour. Nuts are high in calcium and other minerals, vitamin E, and fiber. They have a high protein content and, while they are high in fat, the fat in nuts is 50 to 80 percent monounsaturated. Nuts have been part of the human diet since the beginning of mankind and are still greatly enjoyed. They can be eaten out of hand and are used to a great extent in baking and pastry. See individual listings for specific varieties.