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Types of nuts can be sorted three ways: by botany, by USDA food group and by FDA allergen labeling, and the three do not always agree. FDA says it “is aware that there is no universally accepted botanical definition of the term” tree nut, USDA FoodData Central files peanuts with legumes, and the Dietary Guidelines count peanuts among nuts. This list of nuts sets out the FDA tree nut table and ranks 14 nuts by protein per ounce from USDA SR Legacy data.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- FDA's allergen guidance lists 12 tree nuts as major food allergens, from almond, Brazil nut and cashew to pecan, pine nut, pistachio and walnut.
- USDA files peanuts with legumes, while the Dietary Guidelines say nuts and seeds "include all nuts (tree nuts and peanuts)."
- Per ounce in USDA data, raw peanuts list about 7.3 grams of protein, the most in this list of nuts, and raw macadamias 2.2 grams.
- The Brazil nut entry lists about 107 milligrams of magnesium per ounce in USDA data, 25% of the FDA Daily Value, while European chestnuts, roasted, list 0.6 gram of fat.
Types of nuts in the FDA tree nut table
FDA’s allergen labeling guidance (Edition 5, January 2025, nonbinding) says authoritative botanical references use many different terms, including berry, drupe, fruit, nut and seed, for a dry, hard fruit considered to be a tree nut. Almonds, pecans and walnuts are named in the law’s definition of a major food allergen, and FDA’s Table 1 adds the tree nuts for which, in FDA’s words, “a robust body of scientific evidence” supports listing them. The table below pairs FDA’s names with the USDA SR Legacy food group of each nut.
| Nut (USDA FDC ID) | Scientific name (FDA Table 1) | Plant family (FDA Table 1) | FDA allergen labeling | USDA SR Legacy food group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond (170567) | Prunus dulcis | Rosaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| English walnut (170187) | Juglans regia | Juglandaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Black walnut (170186) | Juglans nigra | Juglandaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Pecan (170182) | Carya illinoinensis | Juglandaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Cashew (170162) | Anacardium occidentale | Anacardiaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Pistachio (170184) | Pistacia vera | Anacardiaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Hazelnut or filbert (170581) | Corylus spp. | Betulaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Macadamia (170178) | Macadamia spp. | Proteaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Brazil nut (170569) | Bertholletia excelsa | Lecythidaceae | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Pine nut (170591) | Pinus spp. | Pineaceae (as printed by FDA) | Tree nut in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Peanut (172430) | Not in Table 1 | Not in Table 1 | Peanuts: a separate major food allergen | Legumes and Legume Products |
| Chestnut (170190) | Not in Table 1 | Not in Table 1 | Not in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Hickory nut (170177) | Not in Table 1 | Not in Table 1 | Not in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
| Butternut (170570) | Not in Table 1 | Not in Table 1 | Not in Table 1 | Nut and Seed Products |
FDA’s table places the cashew and the pistachio in one family, Anacardiaceae, puts three walnut types and the pecan in Juglandaceae, and lists the almond under Rosaceae. Table 1 also names the California walnut and the heartnut, or Japanese walnut, which have no SR Legacy entry. Section 403(w) of the FD&C Act, FDA says, requires the specific type of tree nut to be declared on a label.
FDA says only the tree nuts in Table 1 are considered major food allergens for labeling, and that other tree nuts should not be in the “Contains” statement but must still be listed by common or usual name in the ingredient list. Chestnuts, hickory nuts and butternuts are not in Table 1; FDA’s table is a labeling list, so anyone with a tree nut allergy should take questions about a specific nut to an allergist rather than rely on FDA’s list alone.
List of nuts ranked by protein per ounce
The table lists USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries per ounce (28.35 grams), raw or dried as USDA lists them, with roasted European chestnuts, ranked by protein. The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values of 78 grams for total fat, 28 grams for fiber and 420 milligrams for magnesium; protein has no %DV here because the FDA labeling rule bases a protein %DV on an amount corrected for protein quality. SR Legacy lists beechnuts and ginkgo nuts without a fiber value, so USDA figures for them are not shown.
| Nut (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Protein | Total fat (% DV) | Fiber (% DV) | Magnesium (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peanuts, raw (172430) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 161 | 7.3 g | 14.0 g (18%) | 2.4 g (9%) | 48 mg (11%) |
| Butternut, dried (170570) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 174 | 7.1 g | 16.2 g (21%) | 1.3 g (5%) | 67 mg (16%) |
| Walnuts, black, dried (170186) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 175 | 6.8 g | 16.8 g (22%) | 1.9 g (7%) | 57 mg (14%) |
| Almonds (170567) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 164 | 6.0 g | 14.2 g (18%) | 3.5 g (13%) | 77 mg (18%) |
| Pistachios, raw (170184) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 159 | 5.7 g | 12.8 g (16%) | 3.0 g (11%) | 34 mg (8%) |
| Cashews, raw (170162) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 157 | 5.2 g | 12.4 g (16%) | 0.9 g (3%) | 83 mg (20%) |
| Walnuts, English (170187) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 185 | 4.3 g | 18.5 g (24%) | 1.9 g (7%) | 45 mg (11%) |
| Hazelnuts (filberts) (170581) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 178 | 4.2 g | 17.2 g (22%) | 2.7 g (10%) | 46 mg (11%) |
| Brazil nut, dried (170569) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 187 | 4.1 g | 19.0 g (24%) | 2.1 g (8%) | 107 mg (25%) |
| Pine nut, dried (170591) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 191 | 3.9 g | 19.4 g (25%) | 1.0 g (4%) | 71 mg (17%) |
| Hickory nut, dried (170177) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 186 | 3.6 g | 18.2 g (23%) | 1.8 g (6%) | 49 mg (12%) |
| Pecans (170182) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 196 | 2.6 g | 20.4 g (26%) | 2.7 g (10%) | 34 mg (8%) |
| Macadamias, raw (170178) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 204 | 2.2 g | 21.5 g (28%) | 2.4 g (9%) | 37 mg (9%) |
| Chestnut, European, roasted (170190) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 69 | 0.9 g | 0.6 g (1%) | 1.4 g (5%) | 9 mg (2%) |
In USDA data, raw peanuts lead at about 7.3 grams of protein per ounce, followed by dried butternuts at 7.1 grams and the black type of walnut at 6.8 grams. Among the tree nuts most people know, USDA lists almonds at 6.0 grams, pistachios at 5.7 grams and cashews at 5.2 grams per ounce, while pecans and macadamia nuts list 2.6 and 2.2 grams.
Fat runs the other way in USDA data: macadamias list about 21.5 grams per ounce and pecans 20.4 grams, and walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and pine nuts list 17.2 to 19.4 grams. For magnesium, USDA lists the Brazil nut at about 107 milligrams per ounce and raw cashew at 83 milligrams. Almonds list the most fiber in this table at 3.5 grams per ounce in USDA data. See also low carb nuts for carbohydrate per ounce, foods high in magnesium and high fat foods.
Nuts outside the tree nut table
The peanut is the clearest case. USDA files raw peanuts in its Legumes and Legume Products group, the Dietary Guidelines say nuts and seeds “include all nuts (tree nuts and peanuts),” and FDA keeps peanuts and tree nuts as separate entries among the nine major food allergens, a list that names “Tree nuts, like almonds, walnuts, and pecans.” Our legumes guide and the sibling guide to types of beans cover the legume side.
Chestnuts are the low-fat outlier: USDA lists roasted European chestnuts at about 69 calories and 0.6 gram of fat per ounce, against 157 to 204 calories for the other rows. Water chestnuts and tiger nuts carry the word nut in their names; their own guides explain what they are, and neither is in FDA’s Table 1.
The Dietary Guidelines place seeds in the same subgroup as nuts, naming chia, flax, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower; see chia seeds, flax, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. FDA lists sesame among the nine major food allergens.
Raw, roasted and salted nuts
USDA SR Legacy keeps separate entries for many nuts raw, dry roasted and oil roasted, with and without salt added, so a figure from one entry does not describe the others. The Dietary Guidelines add that “Nuts should be unsalted,” and the Nutrition Facts label on a package is the figure for that product.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main types of nuts?
FDA’s allergen guidance names 12 tree nuts, including almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio and walnut, and USDA files peanuts with legumes.
Is a peanut a nut?
USDA files peanuts with legumes, the Dietary Guidelines place them with nuts and seeds among protein foods, and FDA lists peanuts and tree nuts as separate major food allergens.
Which nut lists the most protein per ounce?
Raw peanuts, at about 7.3 grams per ounce in USDA data; the dried butternut lists 7.1 grams and the almond 6.0 grams.
Is a chestnut a tree nut for labeling?
FDA’s Table 1 of tree nuts that count as major food allergens does not list the chestnut; FDA says tree nuts outside the table must still be listed by name in the ingredient list.
Why is there no single botanical definition of a tree nut?
FDA says authoritative botanical references use terms such as berry, drupe, fruit, nut and seed for these foods, so FDA lists tree nuts by common and scientific name instead.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
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