ABSTRACT
BOTANICALLY, nuts are fruits consisting of a kernel inside a hard, tough shell.Peanuts are botanically legumes; however, they are often called nuts because of their usage and characteristics. For the purposes of this chapter, nuts are considered any food product that is commonly thought to be a nut or eaten like a nut. This loose definition includes tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts), some oilseeds (e.g., sunflower kernels), and peanuts.
