Edible Nuts

Fun Facts About Edible Nuts

• Nut trees are renowned for their longevity. Some species, like walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts, can live up to 300 years.
• You may remember that pistachios used to be dyed red to hide blemishes from older harvesting methods. That practice stopped in the 1980s when advanced mechanical harvesting produced clean shells.
  
• Brazil nuts are slightly radioactive. Their trees absorb small amounts of radium from deep soil. No worries, though: while the radiation levels are measurable, they are harmless.
• Unlike most nuts which are over 50% fat, chestnuts are starchy and much lower in fat (around 1–3%). They also offer significant fiber and vitamin C.
• Macadamias are widely recognized as the fattiest nut. Their total fat content is between 75% and 80%. That's what accounts for their rich, buttery flavor.
• It's rather fitting that walnuts look like miniature human brains. Because they're rich in omega-3 fatty acids that support brain health.
  
• Despite its name, the peanut isn't really a nut. It's actually a legume, related to beans and lentils. True nuts grow on trees, while peanuts grow underground.
• Pine nuts come from... you guessed it: pinecones. Pine nut seeds are harvested from the female cones of approximately 18–20 species of pine trees and are a key ingredient for pesto.