What are tree nuts?

Tree nuts are fruits that grow on trees and have a tough shell that protects a dried fruit. Examples of tree nuts include filberts, acorns, hazelnuts and chestnuts. Other types of nuts are drupes, which have a fleshy or somewhat papery covering over a pit that covers the seed.

Nuts that are drupes include almonds, cashews and walnuts. Macadamia nuts are the seeds found inside a fruit borne by an angiosperm, while pine nuts are the seeds found inside the casing of a gymnosperm like a pine tree.

Tree nuts that are edible are often rich in vitamins, good fats, minerals and proteins.