Interesting Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Nuts

1. Cashews grow from a Cashew Apple

Everyone knows about cashew nuts, but do you know about cashew apples? The image below shows what a wild cashew looks like growing under the shell of a fleshy pear-shaped "apple" fruit. Its bright appearance is designed to attract animals to pick and eat it to protect the kidney-shaped seeds underneath. Cashew apples are the edible part of cashew nuts, soft, juicy, nutritious, and rich in a variety of B vitamins and vitamin C. Where cashews are grown, cashew apples are sold as fruit.

2. Not all Nuts are Nuts

Technically a nut is a dry fruit that has a single seed, a hard shell, and a protective husk. So a hazelnut, pecan, walnut, and chestnut all grow like that.

A peanut is not a nut; it's a legume. Similarly, cashews, almonds, and pistachios are not actual nuts but drupes, meaning they are fleshy on the outside.

3. Brazil Nuts are a bit radioactive

Technically, all foods are radioactive in small amounts, but Brazil nuts are noted to have higher levels. Don't worry; if you don't eat too many, say 3 - 5 nuts daily, you will be fine. Similarly, Brazil nuts have a high level of selenium, which can cause selenium toxicity, so care should be taken, especially if you are already taking selenium supplements.

4. Without bees, there would be no Almonds

Did you know that honey bees play a crucial role in producing almonds? Almond trees are unable to pollinate themselves, hence they require the help of honeybees to pollinate flowers and start nut production. During the bloom season, honey bees travel from tree to tree, searching for pollen and nectar, and pollinating almond blossoms. Each pollinated flower will eventually become an almond.

Bee health (and high water usage) is a hot topic when considering the environmental impact of almonds. Specifically, the pesticides used in growing almonds can devastate bee colonies. In the US, bees are transported across the country to California's almond orchards specifically to aid in pollination. 

5. Macadamias are the definition of a tough nut to crack

The saying 'that's a tough nut to crack' must have been about Macadamias. It is one of the hardest-shelled nuts in the world. Cracking of the shell is done mechanically by a specially designed macadamia nuts cracking machine. Don't try use your teeth as it requires around 300psi which is a lot! 

Important - Do not feed macadamias to dogs! It is unknown which chemical is causing a toxic reaction, but vomiting, fever, and depression have been confirmed in dog behaviors.

Source:The Bulk Foods