ABSTRACT
In the Orient many kinds of seeds and nuts have been gathered or cultivated since prehistoric times. Seeds and nuts in the Orient can be categorized into two types based on their ingredients. One type are the oil seeds and nuts, which have a high content of fat and protein, for example, the sweet
almond nut (Prunus
amygdalus
BATSCH), Japanese torreya nut (
Torreya nucifera
SIEB et Zucc.), walnut (
Juglans regia
L. and
Juglans subcordiformis
DODE), hazelnut (
Corylus avellana
L.), pine nut (
Pinus koraiensis
SIEB.et ZUCC), peanut
(Arachis hypogaea
L.), coconut (
Cocos nucifera
L.), hemp seed
(Cannabis sativa
L.), sunflower seed (
Helianthus annuns
L.), sesame seed (
Sesamun indicum
L.), rapeseed (
Brassica napus
L.), perilla seed (
Perilla frutescens
BRITON var. japonica HARA.), pumpkin seed (
Cucubita moschate
DUCH), poppy seed (
Papaver somniferum
L.), etc. The other type includes seeds and nuts with a high content of carbohydrates, for example, the ginkgo nut (
Ginkgo biloba
L.), chestnut (
Castanea mollisima
BLUME,
Castanea crenata
SIEB. et ZUCC), Japanese horse chestnut (
Aesculus turbinate
BLUME), lotus seed (
Nelumbo nucifera
GAERTN), water chestnut (
Trapanutans
L. var.
