Walnuts are very nutritious, with a high energetic value, 662,5-688kcal/100g and, among the vitamins found in walnuts, the most important are those belonging to the group B, among which the folic acid stands out.

The walnut is the fruit of the walnut tree or Persian walnut, although the word ” nut” is also applied in a generic way to all the fruits that have an edible seed in a hard shell.

The walnut is a rounded or ovoid fruit, according to the variety, with a hard and wrinkled shell or mesocarp of reddish-brown colour, that is formed by two valves, divided in two or four sections that contain the kernels or endocarps, of irregular shape, light yellowish colour and covered with a thin brown skin. They occupy almost all the capacity of the fruit and they are the edible part of the walnut. They have a sweet taste that remains in the palate some minutes after their consumption.

The walnut is mainly marketed with shell. The demanding consumer searches for large size walnuts, tasteful, well-dried, with 10% of moisture content and healthy. If they are of small size, they are used to decorticate and the kernel is mainly intended for confectionery. According to the colour of the seed, somewhat pale, and the taste, we distinguish different varieties although they do not all have the same acceptance.

The walnuts with shell are usually preserved for 2 or 3 months. The decorticated ones must be kept in cold rooms in order to slow down the rancidness process; they may last for approximately 6 months. It is also possible to freeze them, with or without shell.

Pistachios are more and more consumed salted or roasted, and with shell as a snack. The seed in raw is used as an ingredient for many dishes, in confectionery and cooked pork meats or ice creams. A very sweet oil is also obtained from pistachios. They are even applied as an ingredient for some medicines with digestive action and in cosmetics.

It is a very nutritious dry fruit of great fat content, between 30.5 and 51,6g for 100g of edible fresh weight.

The pistachio, whose edible part is the seed or almond, covered by a hard, thin, clear brown shell named pericarp. It is obtained from the so called pistachio or mastic tree. The almond is elongated, slightly triangular, 2-3cm long, tender, oily and with a pale green or yellow colour.

The pistachio nuts with shell can be preserved frozen for several months, although they may loose aroma and if they are peeled, it is recommended to keep them in the fridge, although the time of preservation is smaller in this case.

There are some varieties or types of pistachio that are distinguished by the size and colour of the almond, having greater or smaller acceptance.

The tree of the pistachio does not bear fruit until the fifth year and it does not reach a good performance until the tenth. For this reason, in Spain this fruit is usually imported and the prices of the market are high. In the Mediterranean coast, they ripen in September but we can find them in the market all the year round.

Although these are not green peanuts, many people still love to boil them. Raw peanuts just need to be soaked overnight for at least 24 hours prior to boiling. Alternatively, you can enjoy them as a tasty snack or use them in recipes.

Ingredients: 1 pound fresh jumbo raw peanuts, 1/4 cup salt

Directions: Pour the raw peanuts and salt into a large pot over the stovetop. Cover the peanuts completely with water and bring to a boil. Let the water boil for one hour, up to three hours. Test the peanuts for doneness by cracking them open. If they are soft, they are finished. If they are still crunchy, you will need to cook them longer.

With their rich, buttery flavour and natural sweetness, they make a tasty and satisfying snack.

Raw pecans pack a 1-2-3 punch of proteins, healthy fats and fibers that can help keep you energized and satisfied. What’s more, they are even cholesterol-free, sodium-free and low in carbohydrates.

Pine nuts are eaten by many cultures around the world and are known by many names. In the U.S., the most popular use is in pesto or as a crunchy salad topper. They are also good for use in desserts like shortbread cookies and for adding a twist to hummus.
NUTRIENTS IN 100 g OF DRIED PINE NUTS*
Calories 673 kcal
Proteins 13.69 g
Saturated fat 4.899 g
Monounsaturated fat 18.764 g
Polyunsaturated fat 34.071 g
Carbohydrate 13.08 g
Fiber 3.7 g
Phosphorus 575 mg
Potassium 597 mg
Magnesium 251 mg
Manganese 8.802 mg
Zinc 6.45 mg
Iron 5.53 mg
Copper 1.324 mg
Vitamin E 9.33 mg
Vitamin K 53.9 μg
Thiamin 0.364 mg
Niacin 4.387 mg

Macadamia are rich sources of mono-unsaturated fatty (MUF) like oleic acid (18:1) and palmitoleic acids (16:1). MUF fats in the diet help lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

The bushy 60-cm (2-foot) plants bear feathery pinnately compound leaves. The small white or reddish flowers often have distinctive veins in blue or purple and are usually self-pollinated. The yellow-brown or dark green beans are borne one or two to a pod. There are large- and small-seeded varieties.

Fresh cashew apples taste delicious, but only growers and people living near cashew orchards will ever get to enjoy this fruit, as it is highly perishable. Cashew apples begin to ferment immediately after harvesting, and stay fresh no longer than 24 hours. Highly prized in their growing locale, cashew apples can sometimes be found canned, in jams, or as the base of a liqueur. Commercial producers in Brazil and India package the juice for sale regionally. The cashew tree itself does not go to waste, as the wood is milled into lumber used to build shipping crates and boats.
Cashew Uses

You might see cashews labeled “raw” in the supermarket, but all cashews undergo some heat in the process to remove the shell and caustic substance. Cashews sold as “roasted” have been cooked twice—once during the shelling process and then roasted to deepen the color and enhance the flavor, sometimes with salt. You will also find dry-roasted, meaning the nuts were cooked without any added oil.

Because they are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, cashews make some superfoods lists for their concentration of protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Though technically a seed, the cashew generally gets the culinary treatment of a nut. You can buy them whole to eat as a snack out of hand or puréed into butter for use as a spread or smoothie ingredient. Owing to their creamy texture when blended, cashews have become a popular ingredient used to make dairy alternatives. This includes cashew milk, nut-based cheese, and nut-based cream sauces and sour cream.
How to Cook With Cashews

Pressed cashews yield a light- to dark-yellow oil better used as a salad dressing ingredient or finishing oil than a cooking oil. It also has cosmetic applications as a skin moisturizer and carrier oil for aromatherapy treatments.

Asian and Indian cuisines frequently include whole or chopped cashews as a stir-fry ingredient and in curries. Vegan cooks turn cashews into animal product-free milk, cream, mayonnaise, butter, and pesto.
What Does It Taste Like?

Cashews have a rich nutty flavor, similar to almonds or peanuts. When pureed, it may be hard to distinguish cashew butter from other nut butter like peanut or almond.