Would you want to know Why an almond is not a Nut? According to my experience, an almond is not a proper nut because it is a seed within a fruit called a drupe, which has a fleshy outer layer, unlike an adequate nut, which develops entirely from the ovary of a flower and has a hard shell enclosing a single seed.
You are eating the almond seed inside its protective shell, not the nut itself. Nuts are dried fruits with one seed, a hard shell, and a protective coating.
Chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts are nuts. Peanuts and almonds are not nuts botanically. I shall elaborate on the topic as you read on.
Now, let’s get started.
Is almond a nut
It is more popular to refer to almonds as nuts despite the fact that they are actually seeds:
The term “nut” refers to a dry fruit that contains a single seed, a hard shell, and a protective husk, according to the botanical definition.
The fact that almonds are encased in a fleshy covering, similar to that of a plum, means that they do not satisfy this criterion.
The term “almond” refers to the edible seed that is extracted from a drupe, which is a type of fruit that has a tough shell and hull layers since they are generally not consumed.
The term “nuts” is often used to refer to almonds on a consistent basis.
When we talk about nuts, we are referring to things like almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, macadamia nuts, and pine nuts.
Peanuts do not conform to the category of nuts because they belong to the legume family.
Are almonds a seed or nut
First, let’s have a look at the definition of the terms “nut” and “seed” in order to get the answer:
A nut is a type of fruit that is distinguished by its rugged, inedible shell and its seed, which is often the part of the fruit that may be consumed.
As a result, a seed can be a nut.
A seed is the reproductive unit of a plant that has the potential to grow into another plant of the same species. Therefore, a seed might not be a nut, which means that it might not have a tough shell.
Some people may not believe almonds to be a real nut.
Instead of being classified as a nut, almonds are classified as drupes in the field of botany, which is a subject of scientific study.
A drupe is a fruit that is pulpy on the outside and has a hard shell on the inside that contains one seed.
Indeed, it is capable of germinating.
Why Do We Think of Almonds as Nuts
Even though they aren’t really nuts, we typically conceive of food as being kernels or seeds that have shells surrounding them.
When it comes to eating, we often handle items like this the same way that we do real nuts. This is comparable to the way we classify fruits (such as cucumbers and tomatoes) as vegetables.
We regard them as vegetables even though they are fruits; therefore, occasionally, we refer to them as such. Imagine consuming a salad consisting of cucumbers and tomatoes.
In reality, almonds are seeds. Anything that has an embryo, endosperm, and coating on it is called a seed.
Although a fruit encircles them, almonds are not a fruit like nuts are.
The seed of a particular kind of fruit known as a drupe is what almonds are. A drupe is essentially a type of fleshy fruit with seed within that is encased in a hard shell.
However, there is more to it. Among the drupe fruits are plums, peaches, and olives.
Imagine discovering a pit when you open a peach. There would be a seed within that pit if you were to open it. That seed resembles an almond in nature.
What fruit does almond nut come from
Almonds Aren’t Actually Nuts. Why
If you have not been following an exact diet that forbids you from nibbling on particular “nuts,” it is possible that you are unaware of the fact that many “nuts” are not actually nuts at all.
Several foods are frequently misinterpreted and not correctly classified, and almonds are only one example.
But that’s not the case; almonds are more accurately classified as seeds than nuts.
In the same way that tomatoes are regarded as fruits due to the fact that they contain seeds and originate from a flower, this is what causes seeds and nuts to be classified as fruits.
A proper nut is the fruit of a tree that has dried, hardened, and concealed a particular seed when it was in its fruiting stage.
Hazelnuts and chestnuts are two examples of nuts that are suitable for this description. Technically speaking, acorns are considered to be nuts.
An almond is a drupe, which means that it grows inside of a hull within a fleshy fruit. In order to be consumed, almonds need to be shelled, which is why they are classified as seeds rather than nuts.
In addition, peaches and mangoes are included in this group; however, people often consume them for the flesh rather than the seed that is contained within them.
What Even Is an Almond
Almonds are essentially seeds that originate from within a tree fruit, despite the fact that we commonly refer to them as “nuts.”
On the other hand, a real nut, such as a chestnut or an acorn, is concealed under a tough shell.
Due to the fact that almonds are virtually usually offered without their outer, fruity peel, you might be forgiven for not being aware of this information about almonds.
On the other hand, when they are growing on trees, they have a visual appearance that is similar to that of stone fruits, which are more commonly referred to as “drupes.”
This term refers to any fruits that have fleshy exteriors and a solitary shell or pit within that contains a seed.
In addition to having a distinctive fissure running down the side, the almond fruit has a leathery exterior texture that changes from green to beige as it ripens.
This trait gives the almond fruit the appearance of a peach peach. This fruit contains the seed that we are familiar with as a nut that may be consumed.
The blossoms of almond trees, which are another type of drupe, are so similar to those of cherries that they are sometimes mistaken for them.
Final thought
Now that we have established why almonds are not nuts, although they are frequently referred to as nuts, almonds are not actually nuts. They resemble seeds more than anything else inside drupes.
Think of almonds as the seeds inside a fruit’s hard shell. In reality, we are consuming the seed within the almond when we consume it.
Chestnuts and other tree nuts are a little different. Unlike almonds, they have a firm shell that doesn’t crack apart.
Therefore, although we typically think of almonds as nuts, they are actually more like the seeds of a drupe.
Nuts often have a firm or leather-like coating on the outside and contain a comparatively large amount of oil. When a nut reaches maturity, it does not open to release its seed. Additionally, the seed in nuts is not joined to the ovary wall.
