Energy-dense seeds and tree nuts — unsaturated fat, plant protein, magnesium, vitamin E and, in some, meaningful alpha-linolenic acid.
15 foods
Prunus dulcis
The edible seed of a stone fruit closely related to the peach, eaten raw, roasted or ground into flour and butter. The USDA…
Bertholletia excelsa
Large seeds harvested from wild Amazonian trees, notable for concentrating selenium from the soil to a degree no other common…
Anacardium occidentale
The kidney-shaped seed that grows beneath the cashew apple, always sold shelled and heat-treated because the shell contains…
Salvia hispanica
Tiny seeds from a Mexican member of the mint family that form a thick gel when hydrated, because of soluble mucilage in the seed…
Linum usitatissimum
The seed of the flax plant, sold whole, ground or pressed for oil, and the densest common dietary source of plant lignans. The…
Corylus avellana
The round nut of the hazel shrub, mostly grown in Turkey and Italy and largely destined for confectionery. The USDA reference…
Cannabis sativa
The hulled seed of industrial hemp, a cannabis variety bred to contain negligible THC. The USDA reference entry is for the hulled…
Macadamia integrifolia
A hard-shelled Australian nut with the highest fat content of any common nut, dominated by monounsaturated fat including the…
Arachis hypogaea
Botanically a legume that ripens underground, not a tree nut, though its fat content and culinary use put it with the nuts. The…
Carya illinoinensis
A hickory nut native to North America, close relative of the walnut and similarly rich in unsaturated fat. The USDA reference…
Pistacia vera
The green seed of a small desert tree, usually sold roasted in a split shell. The USDA reference entry is for the raw kernel…
Cucurbita pepo
The hulled green kernels of certain pumpkin and squash varieties, eaten raw or roasted. The USDA reference entry is for the dried…
Sesamum indicum
Small oil-rich seeds used whole, toasted, or ground into tahini across the Middle East, Africa and East Asia. The USDA reference…
Helianthus annuus
The hulled kernels of the sunflower, one of the densest common food sources of vitamin E. The USDA reference entry is for the…
Juglans regia
The wrinkled kernel of the walnut tree, unusual among common nuts for being dominated by polyunsaturated rather than…