What’s your relationship with nuts? How many different types of nuts are on your spice racks/ cabinets? How do you like them during meals time? Breakfast snack?
How many types of nuts do you know and how many of them have you ever tasted? You can check from the list below and embark on a journey to taste each and every nut available on the list.
Nuts are classified as a fruit. They are a type of fruit with an outer hard shelling that is not easy to crack; protecting an inner, soft most of the times edible inner kernel.
Known as jozi in Swahili, nuts grow as legumes (peanuts/groundnuts), and most of them on trees (cashews/ macadamia/ coconut) thus are considered a seed.
Different types of nuts/ Aina ya Jozi:
Ground nut - Karanga za ardhini
Bitter Cola - Njugu ya mkola
Bambara ground nut - Njugu mawe/ Okpa
Beech nut - Njugu ya Mfune
Brazil nut - Njugu za Brazili
Cacao bob - Kakao
Cashew nut - Korosho/ Kaju
Chest nut - Aramoni
Coconut - Nazi
Ginkgo nut - Njugu ya mginko
Hazel nut - Nati ya hazel/ Hazeli
Indian almond - Kungu
Kola nut – Njugu ya mkola
Shea nut - Shea nut
Pili nut - Pili karanga
Pecans - Pekani
Pine/ Pinoli nut - Karanga za pine (Njugu ya msonobari)
Pistachio - Njugu ya pistachio (Pista)
Tiger nut/ Hausa ground nut - Chufa karanga
Walnut - Jozi
Nuts are eaten raw, roasted or ground to flour before use. They are available as paste/ butter (peanut butter), milk (almond) and as an addition to many products. Nuts are used as an ingredient in baked products, smoothies, ice-cream, salads, soups, sauces and salads.
It would be unfair to generalize nuts’ health benefits, as each nut is packed with its own array of phytochemicals: (phytosterols, phenolic acids, carotenoids) and polyphenolic compounds; but a few cut across the different types. These are:
- Boosts cognitive function
- Improves heart health
- Improves vision health
- Aids in weight loss
- Aid in digestion
- Strengthens bones and teeth
For the next series we will be learning on each specific nut: Its’ health benefits, and how to add it in our diet routines. Join the conversation by sharing with us how you like your nuts on the comments section.
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