What is the difference between a nut and fruit?

Nuts and fruits are often lumped together, but they are actually quite different botanically.

Fruits are the mature ovaries of flowering plants. They typically contain seeds, which are the reproductive units of the plant. Fruits can be fleshy, like apples and oranges, or dry, like nuts and grains.

Nuts are a type of dry fruit that is characterized by its hard, oily seed coat. Nuts are typically single-seeded, and the seed coat is often fused to the seed itself. Some common nuts include almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts.

Here is a table summarizing the key differences between nuts and fruits:

| Feature | Nut | Fruit |

|---|---|---|

| Botanical classification | Dry fruit | Mature ovary of flowering plant |

| Seed | Single-seeded, seed coat often fused to seed | Typically contains multiple seeds |

| Seed coat | Hard, oily | Can be fleshy or dry |

| Examples | Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts | Apples, oranges, grapes, bananas |

It is important to note that some plants produce fruits that are botanically classified as nuts, while others produce nuts that are botanically classified as fruits. For example, peanuts are actually legumes, while cashews are actually seeds.