Is Peanut a Seed or Fruit

Botanically, most nuts are the seeds of a fruit, while true nuts — such as chestnuts, acorns, and hazelnuts — are fruits in and of themselves. Peanuts are the exception, as they’re legumes — and thus technically vegetables.

Are peanuts a seed?

Like soybeans, lentils, and other legumes, peanuts are edible seeds that grow in pods. Still, most people think of them as nuts, along with tree nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts. (Unlike other legumes, which grow on vines or shrubs, peanuts grow underground.)

Is a peanut technically a fruit?

You may have already heard that peanuts are not nuts. They are actually legumes and are members of the pea family. … Botanically, a nut is a dry fruit that consists of a hard shell covering a single seed. Some examples of true nuts include acorns, chestnuts, and hazelnuts.