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About This Quiz
Time to get nutty! How much do you know about all of the different types of nuts out there? Take this quiz and find out!
Why are pistachios sold in their shells?
The shell keeps them fresher.
It saves the manufacturer money.
The majority of pistachio shells split naturally during the growing process. So, the manufacturer can roast them without having to remove the shells. This saves them a pile of cash!
The shell protects this relatively soft nut.
What do tree squirrels do with the nuts they've collected for winter?
They hoard them in their den.
They store them in an empty tree trunk.
They bury them.
Tree squirrels are smart little critters. They actually bury them, but first they sort their nuts according to size, nutritional value and even taste!
Which of the following are not actually nuts?
macadamias
Macadamias are actually seeds! For the record, so are walnuts, pecans, pine nuts and peanuts! In botany terms, to be considered a "real" nut (like chestnuts, acorns, hornbeam and hazels), the hard outer shell can't open on its own.
almonds
cashews
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Which "nut" is considered the most expensive in the world?
pecans
macadamias
Again, not technically a nut, but macadamias run a whopping $25 per pound at the cash register. This is because they are considered a "dessert nut," and also because there's limited space on the Hawaiian islands to cultivate the crop.
pine nuts
We know that peanuts are not actually nuts. What other type of food do they most resemble in cultivation?
onions
peas
Peanuts are actually classified as legumes, much like peas and lentils. This is because they grow underground in pods.
potatoes
What fruit do unripe almonds hanging in the tree resemble?
grapes
apples
apricots
That's right, before they ripen and dry out almonds look shockingly like apricots!
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In what region of the world did pistachio trees originate?
The Middle East
Originally found only in the Middle East, pistachio trees at some point were transplanted to other arid areas, like California, New Mexico and Arizona, to great success.
South America
Western Europe
Which of the following makes the cashew unique?
It grows attached to the bottom of a fruit.
Its shell is very toxic.
Both of the above
The cashew shell contains toxins that can aggravate the skin and even be used as an insecticide! The cashew also strangely grows attached to the bottom of the "cashew apple."
Which country produces the majority of the world's supply of hazelnuts?
Turkey
75 percent of the world's hazelnuts are produced in Turkey. Even more impressive, the crop is almost totally harvested by hand!
Italy
Canada
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You Got:
/10
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