The nutritional profiles of nuts and legumes are very different, and they also vary in the quantity of seeds that each contains and whether or not they can split open on their own.
The presence of a greater number of seeds is yet another important distinction that can be drawn between nuts and legumes. In most cases, nuts only have one or two seeds inside their shells, but legumes often contain a number of seeds.
Regarding their health benefits, nuts are packed with protein, as well as other vitamins and minerals. They often have a high calorie count due to the large proportion of vegetable oils and saturated fats that they include in their composition.
Although nuts contain more calories than legumes, there are about three times as many in one cup of nuts as there are in one cup of legumes.
Nuts have an advantage over legumes when it comes to the amount of fat that they contain since nuts have a higher fat content.
The oils, which are considered fats, contribute substantially to the caloric density of nuts. Because of this, nuts are an excellent source of lipids derived from plants.
It is important to be aware that nuts have a high omega-6 content but a low omega-3 content. Although nuts and legumes both have a high protein content, the protein content of legumes is higher.
However, the protein content of nuts is only around 10% of the total calories, but the protein content of legumes accounts for about 25% of the calories that are net.
However, even within these categories, there is significant variance; for instance, lentils have a far higher protein content than chickpeas do.
Although legumes also include a large number of proteins, they are a strong source of carbs, which means that eating them is an excellent way to get a lot of energy.
The process by which a plant structure splits open and releases its contents is known as dehiscence. Legumes have this trait, which indicates that they are able to open without any pressure coming from the outside.
Nuts do not possess this feature, thus in order to open them, you will need to shatter them.
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Legumes and nuts examples
The most well-known examples of legumes are probably beans and lentils, whereas examples of nuts include chestnuts and hazelnuts.
Any kind of bean or pea that is a member of the Fabaceae family is considered a leguminous plant. There are literally hundreds of distinct kinds of legumes that fall within this category.
Pulses, which are the dried seeds of legumes, are included in this group as well.
Lentils and chickpeas are two of the most often consumed types of pulses.
In many different cuisines from different parts of the globe, beans are regarded to be an essential ingredient.
There is a wide range of beans, each of which contributes a unique taste and texture to the dish.
Black beans have an oval form and may be found in a wide variety of cuisines from Brazil and Mexico.
Cannellini beans are white in color and resemble kidney beans in terms of their overall form. The flavor is somewhat nutty, and they have a texture that is similar to that of cream.
Cannellini beans are a common ingredient in Italian cuisine; their name should have given it away, but they also make a delicious addition to soups.
You may consume legumes in a variety of ways, including preserving them in jars, cooking them, freezing them, or reducing them to flour.
The versatility of legumes is quite astounding. Lentils are little seeds that come from legumes like beans and peas. Unlike these other legumes, however, lentils are flat and spherical.
There are hundreds of different kinds of lentils, but around 50 of them are developed specifically for human use.
You may get lentils in a variety of forms, including whole, split, with or without the seed coat.
It is stated that Beluga lentils have the greatest levels of protein and are the most healthy overall.
In Ayurvedic medicine, black lentils are often utilized as a treatment for a variety of conditions.
In spite of the fact that they are often referred to as black “lentils,” they are really a relative of the mung bean.
Despite their name, black lentils are not as dark in color as beluga lentils, even though black lentils are much larger than beluga lentils.
In addition to their spherical shape, hazelnuts are well-known for their contribution to the ever-popular chocolate spread known as Nutella.
The monounsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs are all found in abundance in hazelnuts. A modest handful of these nuts has around 1.3 grams of protein and 1.1 grams of fiber, making them an excellent source of both nutrients.
Whenever possible, you should look for chestnuts growing on trees or bushes.
Once they have been collected, they may be eaten, although they do not have much of a taste.
After being put into storage for a few days, the starches begin to transform into sugars, which results in a marked improvement in flavor.
When chestnuts are peeled, they may be eaten raw, but they can also be roasted, boiled, steamed, deep-fried, or grilled. Other cooking methods include:
They are a very adaptable nut that may be cooked in a variety of different ways. Instead of oils, which are often present in nuts, chestnuts have a high concentration of carbohydrates.
Which nuts are actually legumes?
Peanuts are a legume.
Peanuts, on the other hand, grow underground in pods similar to those produced by legumes, while nuts develop on trees. The peanut plant is distinct from other plant species in that it produces blooms above ground and fruits below.
This uncommon process is referred to as geocarpy. When the plant reaches a height of around one foot, tentacle-like tendrils begin to sprout from the plant and eventually sink into the ground, where they give rise to peanuts.
When peanuts reach their full age, they have a characteristic called dehiscence, which causes them to split open.
Since nuts do not possess this property, peanuts cannot be considered to be in the same category as real nuts.
Peanuts are not considered to be tree nuts like cashews, almonds, or pecans, which are all cultivated on trees. This is another reason why peanuts are not included in this category.
Nuts are characterized as being dry fruits that contain a single seed and are encased in a brittle shell. Genuine nuts are permanently attached to their shells, making it impossible for them to break open on their own.
The hazelnut and the chestnut are two types of nuts that satisfy this requirement.
Peanuts are classified as legumes, despite the fact that the word “nut” is included in their name. When it comes to nutrients, peanuts and tree nuts are not that different from one another.
Nuts that come from trees include things like almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts. When you look at the two different nutritional profiles, you will see that both of them have a high concentration of unsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
People who eat peanuts and tree nuts on a regular basis had a lower chance of developing heart disease compared to those who eat these foods very occasionally, according to a number of studies.
Additionally, peanuts are more reasonably priced in comparison to other types of tree nuts, making them more accessible to consumers.
Because peanuts are botanically classified as legumes rather than nuts, many individuals who are allergic to peanuts do not react negatively to other types of nuts, such as tree nuts.
This is due to the fact that peanuts are not in any way related to nuts; hence, a person may be allergic to tree nuts yet be able to eat peanuts without any adverse effects.
It would seem that the botanical and vernacular meanings of nuts are distinct, which is one reason why there may be some misunderstanding over ‘nut’ allergies.
What makes a nut a nut?
A nut is a kind of fruit that is dry and tough, and after it has reached maturity, it does not break apart to reveal the seed within.
Botanists define a nut as a pod with a tough husk that contains both the fruit and the seed of the plant. Nuts may be found on a variety of tree species.
In order for the fruit to develop into a nut, it must be incapable of opening and exposing the seed. They cannot open on their own; instead, they need an external force to be applied in order to be opened.
A nut is comparable to an achene, which is a fruit that is dry and only contains one seed. However, nuts are bigger, have a tough external wall, and contain more than one carpel than an achene does.
The seeds of an almond may be found inside the pulpy fruit of a Prunus dulcis tree. This tree is known as the almond tree.
The fact that nuts do not often have this form causes them to be categorized as drupes rather than nuts. More will be spoken about it at a later time.
Cashews and pistachios both belong to the drupe family of seeds. If we’re going to go too specific, we might say that nuts are a kind of fruit.
Fruits emerge from the ovary of a plant, which, after it has reached maturity, starts to create a wall around the fruit.
When it comes to fruits like apples, this outer wall has a mushy consistency, yet the ‘ovary wall’ of nuts is dry and brittle.
Is Walnut a nut or a drupe?
Walnuts contain qualities that make them reminiscent of both nuts and drupes, but they do not meet all of the requirements to be classified as either.
Walnuts are frequently referred to as “drupaceous nuts,” which means that they fall somewhere in the center of both categories.
Despite the fact that mangoes and peaches are both classified as drupes, we only eat the flesh of both fruits rather than the seeds. Peaches are the more popular of the two.
Because of this, determining which types of fruits belong to certain categories might be a little bit tricky at times.
According to the definition of a nut that is used by botanists, many foods that are often referred to as nuts are not nuts at all.
Pistachios, cashews, and almonds are all included in this category. In point of fact, they are drupes.
In the study of botany, a drupe is an example of an indehiscent fruit. This kind of fruit has a single, solid shell that has a seed inside of it.
Peaches, plums, and cherries are all kinds of fruits that fall under the category of “drupes.” Cashews are a popular drupe.
Cashews, in contrast to other culinary nuts, do not have a shell. Culinary nuts are defined as any nuts that are used in cooking or are in general considered to be nuts.
Because of this, it is impossible to label this person as a nut. Cashews have a lining around the seed that is packed with fluid and must be removed before the seed can be extracted. This lining functions in place of an outer wall.
Since coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm, which makes them the drupe of that plant, they are also included in this kind of fruit that is referred to as a drupe.
They are distinct from other types of drupe fruit in that they have a very high water content.
Nuts and legumes are differentiated from one another in terms of the quantity of seeds they contain, whether or not their hulls break open as they mature, and the nutritional profiles of each.
The most significant difference between the two is that nuts are dehiscent whereas legumes are indehiscent, which means they must be subjected to pressure from the outside in order to open.
Because of this characteristic, legumes are defined as include peanuts in their category.
Walnuts do not fit into any of these categories; rather, drupaceous nuts is the term that most people use to describe them.
This is due to the fact that they have traits with both nuts and drupes, making them somewhat of a hybrid between the two.
FAQs
Are all nuts considered legumes?
The botanical classification of most nuts, including almonds, walnuts, and cashews, places them under the category of seeds rather than fruits. However, properly speaking, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and a few other real nuts are classified as fruits. Peanuts, however, are not considered nuts since they are really a kind of legume.
Which nuts are really legumes?
Peanuts belong to the family of plants known as legumes, which also includes beans, lentils, and peas. The seeds of legumes are edible and are encased in pods. In the meanwhile, tree nuts are produced on trees. Some examples of tree nuts include walnuts, cashews, almonds, and pecans; however, this list is not exhaustive.
Why is a peanut a legume and not a nut?
According to the Peanut Institute, the difference is due to the fact that peanuts grow underground whereas other nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, grow on trees. According to the Peanut Institute, peanuts, beans, and peas are all classified as legumes due to the fact that their edible seeds are contained inside pods.
Are cashews a nut or legume?
Cashews are produced by the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale). As a result of this, they are categorized as a kind of nut that comes from trees.
Is peanut butter a legume?
What exactly is peanut butter, though? Peanuts are classified as legumes rather than tree nuts despite their common name of “ground nuts.” The most well-known spread that may be prepared from these beans is peanut butter.
Is a pistachio a nut or a legume?
Pistachios are the seeds that are contained inside the fruits that are produced by the Pistachio vera tree. This tree produces clusters of little fruits that progressively become more brittle and crack apart, revealing the seed that is contained within. Despite the fact that they are seeds, they are categorized as a nut for purposes of culinary use and are an allergy for those who are allergic to tree nuts.