The Best Nuts
Nuts! You love them, I love them, we all love them – and who would not? From cashews to walnuts to pistachios and almonds, nuts come in a variety of shapes and flavors. To accommodate these many varieties, infamous peanut companies like planters alongside the likes of Mr. Peanut (Rest in Peace), a leading pioneer present in peanut production, created the mixed nut packaging, a commodity in nuts I am sure you are all familiar with; However, due to this wide variety, some nuts are simply left at the bottom of the can. Have you ever wondered which of these nuts are left to rot? Or you are interested in establishing a lucrative peanut company sporting a gay peanut mascot decorated with a top hat, monocle, and cane and you want to know the best nuts to sell? Well fortunately, I have the perfect metrics for you to launch your perfect peanut conglomerate…or not.
According to, AgAmerica Lending, the most grown nuts in the United States, ranked from highest to lowest, are as follows: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts, chestnuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and cashews with the US being the dominant producer of almonds in the world producing 2,002,742 tons annually. Even with these frighteningly large numbers America is far from the leading producer of nuts, as China currently holds that title at 403,719 metric tons of tree nuts produced annually. After discussing some of the most popular nuts in the world, what are the least popular?
Surprisingly enough, many dieticians claim that peanuts are the worst nuts for snacking, stating that Peanuts are exposed to aflatoxin, a fungus associated with liver cancer; however, these peanuts may be more likely to be exposed to the toxin when produced in parts of Africa and Asia—not the U.S., thankfully majority of the world’s peanut supply is produced in southeastern parts of the United States. Unpopularity in nuts may also be a result of cost and, with macadamia nuts costing around $25 per pound, as well as growth period of 7-10 years, it is no wonder why they are some of the least popular nuts.
