The ultimate grocery nut guide: 8 types of nuts explained

Cashews are the softest, creamiest nut on the shelf, with a naturally sweet, buttery bite and none of the tannic edge of walnuts. They’re sold pre-steamed and shelled, since the raw shell contains caustic urushiol oil. Expect them roasted, salted or honey-glazed at a solid mid-tier price.

Walnuts are instantly recognisable by their wrinkled, brain-like shape and rich, oily texture. Their thin papery skin carries a noticeable tannic bitterness that sets them apart from milder nuts. Sold raw in halves and pieces, they’re a mid-tier baking staple, common in oatmeal, salads and traditional desserts.

Pistachios offer a crisp bite with an earthy, faintly sweet finish and a striking green interior. They’re one of the few everyday nuts still sold mostly in-shell, which makes the cracking itself part of the snacking ritual—a fixture at holiday gatherings and office tea breaks, sitting at the mid-to-high snacking tier.

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Macadamias are the richest, most velvety nut in the aisle, with a melt-in-the-mouth crunch driven by their exceptionally high oil content. That richness comes at a cost—they’re consistently the most expensive nut on shelves, often sold individually or folded into luxury gourmet mixes rather than standard tubs.

Pecans are close cousins of walnuts but noticeably sweeter and less astringent, with a delicate, flaky crunch and buttery, maple-like finish. They’re a premium baking and snacking nut, most often found candied, in pralines or folded into upscale mixed-nut tins rather than eaten plain.

Technically a legume grown underground, peanuts are the most economical option in the category, with a dense, roasty crunch and deep, earthy flavour. Sold in-shell, cocktail-salted, spice-coated or ground into butter, they anchor the high-volume budget tier of nearly every mixed nut blend.

Brazil nuts are unmistakable for their size—large kernels with a firm, waxy bite and mild, earthy sweetness. Harvested wild from Amazonian rainforests, they’re a premium import typically found only in mixed assortments rather than sold on their own.

How to store nuts: fighting humidity and rancidity

Humidity is nut storage’s biggest enemy. Warm, damp air lets nuts absorb moisture, softening their crunch and creating ideal conditions for Aspergillus flavus, a mould that produces carcinogenic aflatoxins. Transfer opened packs into airtight glass jars immediately, then refrigerate for up to six months or freeze for up to a year—cold halts the oxidation that turns nuts rancid. Discard anything with dark spotting, a chemical smell or a rubbery bite.

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