What are whole nuts & seeds?
Whole nuts and seeds are minimally processed plant-based ingredients that appear in food products in their intact or simply prepared forms — raw, roasted, blanched, or chopped. This category includes tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, macadamias, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts), peanuts (technically a legume), and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chia, flax, sesame, hemp). These ingredients provide distinctive flavors, textures, and nutritional profiles that have made them valued food ingredients across cultures for thousands of years.
57,700 products in our database contain whole nuts & seeds. 13,588 of them (24%) are Level 4, the most processed of our four levels.
Which foods contain whole nuts & seeds?
Whole nuts and seeds are found in trail mix, granola, nut bars, baked goods, cereals, salads, snack mixes, candy, ice cream, nut butters, breads, energy bars, yogurt toppings, and as standalone snack products.
Granola Bark
Campbell's Sauces Pineapple Teriyaki
Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Butter Cup
Kashi Golean Cereal Crunch Honey Almond Flax 14oz
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Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Toasted Coconut Granola Bar
Nature Valley Protein Peanut Almond & Dark Chocolate Chewy Bar
Almond Cherry Protein Bar
Coffee Double Energy Drink, Coffee
Toasted Coconut Peanut, Coconut, and Granola Dipped in Almond Butter Coating Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars
100% Whole Wheat Tortilla Wraps
Mocha Double Energy Coffee Drink, Mocha
Vanilla Double Energy Coffee Drink, Vanilla
Ketogenic Thai Me Over Savory Bite
Sea Salt Caramel Almond Dessert, Sea Salt Caramel
Mango Lemonade Healthy Energy Drink, Mango Lemonade
Great Value, Cashews, Honey Roasted
Mammoth Pecans
Caramel Coated Popcorn & Peanuts
Planters, Dry Roasted Peanuts, Honey
Honey Roasted Cashews
Planters, Peanuts, Honey Roasted, Honey Roasted
Cracker Jack the Original Caramel Coated Popcorn & Peanuts 8.5 Oz
Cracker Jack Regular 10 Oz 25cs
Cracker Jack Caramel Coated Popcorn and Peanuts 4.125 Ounces
Sabritas Salt & Lime Cacahuates Peanuts 1 5/8 Ounce Bag
Sabritas Salt and Lime Peanuts 7 Ounce Plastic Bag
Vanilla Monk Crunch Lightly Glazed Roasted Almond Snacks
Deluxe Honey Roasted Almonds
Walnuts in Syrup, Walnuts
Dry Honey Roasted Peanuts, Dry Honey Roasted
Peter Pan Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, 16.3 Oz
Peter Pan Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter, 16.3 Oz
Peter Pan Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, 28 Oz
Larabar Blueberry Muffin Fruit & Nut Bar
Larabar Chocolate Coconut Chew Fruit & Nut Bar
Alegrias De Amaranto, Natural Amaranth Seed Candy
Natural Crunch Sunflower Butter
Woodstock, Smooth Organic Classic Peanut Butter
Woodstock, Crunchy Organic Classic Peanut Butter
Beer Nuts, Original Peanuts Snacks
Original Peanuts, Sweet and Salty
Original Peanuts
Original Peanuts Snacks, Original
Beer Nuts
Cashews Snacks
Beer Nuts
Cashews
Beer Nuts
Harris Teeter, Smooth Almond Butter
Black Chia Seed Organic Superfood
Blue Diamond, Almonds, Whole Natural
Artisana, Organic Raw Coconut Butter, Coconut
Brad's Naturals, Smooth Peanut Butter
Food for the Modern Life, Cashew Nuts, Brazilian Superfood
Navitas Naturals, Shelled Hemp Seeds
Organic Superfood Coconut Manna, Coconut Butter
100% Organic Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
100% Organic Coconut Flakes
Garden of Life, Raw Organics, Organic Chia Seed
Crazy Richard's, Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
Crazy Richard's, Crunchy Peanut Butter
Organic Hemp Hearts Shelled Hemp Seeds
Hemp Hearts Shelled Hemp Seeds
Also known as
Whole Nuts & Seeds can appear in ingredient lists under several names. If you see any of the following, this is the ingredient family you are looking at:
Function
Whole nuts and seeds contribute crunch, flavor complexity, and textural contrast to food products. Almonds and pecans provide crunch in baked goods and cereals. Walnuts and cashews add richness to salads and stir-fries. Seeds like chia and flax absorb liquid to form gels useful in baking and beverages. Peanuts and sunflower seeds provide protein and fat content in snack mixes and bars. The high oil content of most nuts contributes richness and mouthfeel, while their complex flavor profiles develop further through roasting through Maillard browning reactions.
Sources
Whole nuts are harvested from trees or plants, removed from their outer shells or hulls, and may undergo minimal processing such as blanching (removing skins with hot water), dry roasting, oil roasting, or salting. Seeds are harvested from their parent plants and cleaned. Chia and flax seeds are typically sold raw or milled. Roasting develops flavor compounds through the Maillard reaction and caramelization, and reduces moisture content for improved shelf stability. The simplicity of these processing steps distinguishes whole nuts and seeds from their more heavily processed derivatives.
Health considerations
Tree nuts and peanuts are among the eight major food allergens identified by FALCPA and must be declared on food labels. The specific tree nut species must be identified (e.g., almonds, cashews). Sesame became the ninth major allergen under FASTER Act requirements effective January 2023. Nut allergy reactions can be severe, and cross-contamination during manufacturing is a significant concern addressed through allergen management programs and advisory labeling.
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Regulatory
Tree nuts and peanuts are major allergens under FALCPA requiring declaration on food labels. Sesame was added as the ninth major allergen under the FASTER Act (effective January 1, 2023). Advisory statements like "may contain" are voluntary but are covered by FDA guidance on allergen labeling. Nut butter products have FDA standards of identity. The EU requires declaration of specific tree nut species and has stricter allergen labeling rules including for sesame.