Peanuts, which are often added to this list, are in fact not a nut but rather a leguminous plant.
Most nuts are members of the drupes family. They are fleshy fruits with a stone in the centre like apricots. In the case of nuts, the fleshy part, called the pericarp, is not edible.
Nut production in the world
The market for nuts is quite large and the production of these oilseeds takes place on all continents.
En Asie, la Chine est le second producteur de noix mondial, le Vietnam et l’Inde se concentrent sur les noix de cajou, l’Iran produit des pistaches et la Turquie s’occupe des noisettes.
In South Africa, macadamia nuts are produced in large quantities.
In South America, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru share the nut market. noix du Brésil.
In North America, the United States is the main producer of almonds and pecans and has been the leader in nut production since 2008.
L’Europe était jusqu’à 1980, le leader de la production mondiale de noix mais s’est fait dépasser par la Chine en 1987 puis par les États-Unis. Désormais, les plus gros producteurs de fruits à coque sont reconnus comme étant les États-Unis et la Chine.
Nuts: what do they have to offer us?
They are rich in good nutrients: minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and copper), vitamin E, fibers, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.
They promote weight loss by providing a rapid satiety effect.
They improve cholesterol levels thanks to their content of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Thanks to this action on cholesterol, they protect the arteries and therefore reduce the risk of having a stroke.
They reduce blood sugar, blood pressure and the level of free radicals in the blood. They therefore help to treat type 2 diabetes for which these symptoms are predominant.
Ils renferment des antioxydants qui ont une action anti-inflammatoire sur les organes. Ils offrent donc un soutien au système immunitaire.
They stimulate blood circulation and vascularisation thanks to certain proteins they contain.
Les allergies aux fruits à coque
Symptômes d’une allergie aux fruits à coque
Nuts are very rich in nutritional elements but they have the disadvantage of being highly allergenic. Allergies to nuts are among the most common causes of anaphylaxis.
Any consumption of nuts can lead to the risk of allergies and it is good to recognise the symptoms.
Stomach aches, diarrhoea, nausea
Intense itching (of the mouth, throat, eyes, nose or other)
Shortness of breath
Difficulty to swallow
Stuffed or running nose
Vomiting
Les fruits à coque dans l’alimentation
In addition, people who are allergic to one or another of the nuts are at greater risk of developing an allergy to other forms of oilseeds.
During the manufacturing process of nuts it is possible that they "contaminate" each other. This is why people with allergies generally avoid eating them all.
Nuts are also often found in many other end products. For this reason it is always noted on the packaging whether the product contains or is likely to contain nuts.
The statement "may contain traces of nuts" warns that the product may have been in contact with a product containing nuts.
Lien entre fruit à coque et arachide
Despite the fact that peanuts do not fall into the category of nuts, the allergies of one and the other are often related. Thus, in terms of allergies, peanuts are generally considered to be nuts.