Is a peanut a nut?
Is a peanut technically a nut? If not, when people say they are allergic to "nuts", are they also allergic to real nuts,(walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc.)?
Best Answer
No, peanuts are not nuts in the botanical sense. They are legumes, much like peas or beans.
Chestnuts and acorns are examples of true nuts. Most of what we commonly refer to as nuts are botanically drupes, including walnuts, almonds and cherries, as well as some larger fruits like peaches (which are typically eaten for their flesh, rather than their seed).
To be clear, people sometimes use the term "tree nut" to distinguish actual botanical nuts and drupes from legumes; or "culinary nut" to include all of the nut-like foods.
While technically, peanut and tree nut allergies are different things, there is evidently a large correlation where people with one often have the other, according to Wise Geek.
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Quick Answer about "Is a peanut a nut?"
Peanuts aren't actually a true nutWhy is peanut not a nut?
Even though peanut has the word \u201cnut\u201d in the name, it's not really a nut at all. It's actually a legume. Peanuts are legumes, which are edible seeds enclosed in pods, and are in the same family as beans, lentils, and peas.Which nut is not really a nut?
The desert plant called the pistachio tree is a member of the cashew family, and as we've mentioned before: cashews are not a nut.Why is a peanut a legume and not a nut?
Peanuts, for instance, usually have two seeds and easily break open, Jernstedt said. Because they grow in a pod, they're technically a legume, a family of plants that produce their fruit (often beans) in a pod, and have more in common with snow peas than actual nuts.Are peanuts classified as?
Botanically, peanuts are classified as legumes; however, for culinary, research and nutritional purposes, peanuts are considered a nut. Peanuts grow underground, as opposed to nuts like walnuts, almonds, etc. that grow on trees.WTF Is A Nut?!
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