NUTS

Among the most popular nuts of general use are almonds, Brazil-nuts, chestnuts, coconuts, filberts, hickory-nuts, pecans, pine-nuts, pistachio-nuts, and walnuts. With the exception of the Brazil-nut, all of these are now grown to at least some extent in the United States. California raises big crops of almonds and walnuts, and Louisiana and Texas are noted for pecans, both of wild trees and orchard plantings. Of imported nuts, almonds come principally from Spain; Brazil-nuts from the Brazilian states of Para, Amazon as, and Maranhao; chestnuts from Italy, Spain Portugal, and Japan; coconuts from the West Indies and Central and South America, the Philippines, and the South Sea Islands; filberts from Italy, Spain, and Turkey; pistachios from Sicily; and walnuts from France, China, Italy, and Japan. Nuts contain a large amount of nutriment in concentrated form, and are (under proper conditions) well a imilated. Most of those of popular consumption consist chiefly of oi] and protein. The fat percentage runs very high—up to nearly 71% in the pecan—and the protein also is in several kinds considerably above that of a majority of either animal or vegetable foods. A few, as chestnuts, chufas, and gingko-nuts, substitute carbohydrates (starch, sugar, ete.) as the principal component. The meat of three walnuts, or fifteen single peanuts, or two Brazil-nuts, or ten almonds, or five pecans—all of medium size—or about the same weight as the meats of any others of the common oily nuts — represents approximately as much energy food as two ordinary slices of white bread, or a cup of cooked oatmeai, or a rounded tablespoonful of granulated white sugar. For chestnuts, or other starchy nuts, nearly three times the weight is needed to secure a calorie equivalent. The general mineral content is good, but the vitamin value is negligible except for the widely distributed B. (See also Foop Vauuzs.) The constantly increasing consumption of nuts throughout the United States augurs well for a better appreciation of their food value by all cla es—they are no longer regarded exclusively as a luxury, or as something to be eaten out of hand at odd times. They should be well chewed—or, better still, ground and then chewed— and should be considered from the same standpoint as the meat or other substantial portion of a meal—they should not be eaten as a delicacy after the stomach is already loaded with a heavy repast. To this latter practise is due much of their reputation for indigestibility. Nuts with leathery skins should be peeled before eating. Parboiling will usually make peeling easy. Drying must speedily follow parboiling, or lo of flavor will result. Nut pastes and ‘‘butters’’ are growing in favor, both for home consumption and in confectionery manufacture. They are an agreeable and very desirable addition to the daily diet. They are best bought in small pots or gla es as they are liable to become rancid if kept long after opening. Nuts can be carried safely in winter by storing in a cool, dry place, but cold storage at a temperature just above freezing is the only sure method of preserving them during the summer, and the only practical policy if the quantity is considerable. See also the special articles on individual nuts.