Changes

7,918 bytes added ,  03:54, 27 March 2007
no edit summary
A '''list of edible seeds''' here includes seeds that are directly foodstuffs, rather than yielding derived products.

A variety of species can provide '''edible seeds'''. Of the six major plant parts, seeds are the most important source of human food. The other five major plant parts are [[root]]s, [[stem]]s, [[leave]]s, [[flower]]s, and [[fruit]]s. Most edible seeds are [[angiosperm]]s, but a few are [[gymnosperm]]s. The most important seed food source is cereals, followed by legumes, and nuts.

The list is divided into the following categories:
* '''[[Bean]]s''' (or '''[[Legume]]s''') are protein-rich soft seeds.
* '''[[Cereals]]''' (or '''grains''') are grass-like crops that are harvested for their dry seeds. These seeds are often ground to make [[flour]]. Cereals provide almost half of all calories consumed in the world.<ref name="prodstat">{{cite web
| url=http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx
| title=ProdSTAT
| author=FAO
| work=FAOSTAT
| accessdate=2006-12-26
}}</ref> Botanically, true cereals are members of the [[Poaceae]] or Grass family.
** '''[[Pseudocereal]]s''' are cereal crops that are not members of the Poaceae or Grass Family.
* '''[[Nut (fruit)|Nuts]]''' are botanically a specific type of fruit but the term is also applied to many edible seeds that are not botanically nuts.
** '''[[Gymnosperm]]s''' produce nut-like seeds but not flowers or fruits.
* '''[[Spices]]''' are used to flavor food rather than provide nutrients.

== Beans ==
See also: [[:Category:Beans]]

Beans, also known as [[legume]]s or [[pulse (legume)|pulses]] include:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/faodef/fdef04e.htm |title=Definition and Classification of Commodities|work=Definition and Classification of Commodities|title=Pulses and derived products|date=1994|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|accessdate=2006-12-26}}</ref>

[[Image:3 types of lentil.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Lentils have been part of the human diet since the Neolithic]]
* [[Bambara groundnut]]
* [[Vicia faba|Broad bean]]s
* [[Chickpea]]s
* [[Cowpea]]s
* [[Pulse (legume)#Classification of pulses|Dry beans]], including
** [[Common bean]]
** several species of ''[[Vigna]]''
* [[Hyacinth bean]]
* [[Lablab]]
* [[Lentil]]s
* [[Lupin]]s
* [[Pea]]s
* [[Peanut]]s
* [[Pigeon pea]]s
* [[Soybean]]s
* [[Tonka bean]]s
* [[Velvet bean]]s
* [[Vetch]]
* [[Winged bean]]s
* [[Yam bean]]s

== Cereals ==
{{See also|Category:Cereals}}
[[Image:GEM corn.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Maize (sometimes called "corn") is the single biggest source of food calories in the world.]]

True [[cereal]]s are the seeds of certain species of [[grass]]. Three — maize, wheat and rice — account for about half of the calories consumed by people every year.<ref name="prodstat">{{cite web
| url=http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx
| title=ProdSTAT
| author=FAO
| work=FAOSTAT
| accessdate=2006-12-26
}}</ref> Grains can be ground to make [[flour]], used as the basis of [[bread]], [[cake]], [[noodles]] or other food products. They can also be boiled or steamed, either whole or ground, and eaten as is. Many cereals are present or past [[staple food]]s, provided a large fraction of the calories in the places that they are eaten. [[Cereal]]s include:

* [[Barley]]
* [[Fonio]]
* [[Kamut]]
* [[Maize]]
* [[Millet]]
* [[Oat]]s
* [[Distichlis palmeri|Palmer's grass]]
* [[Rice]]
* [[Rye]]
* [[Sorghum]]
* [[Spelt]]
* [[Teff]]
* [[Triticale]]
* [[Wheat]]
* [[Wild rice]]

=== Pseudocereals ===
[[Image:Quinoa.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Quinoa is not a grass, but its seeds have been eaten for 6000 years.]]
* [[Breadnut]]
* [[Buckwheat]]
* [[Cattail]]
* [[Chia]]
* [[Celosia|Cockscomb]]
* [[Grain amaranth]]
* [[Kañiwa]]
* [[Quinoa]]
* [[Wattleseed]] (also called ''acacia seed'')

== Nuts ==
''See also'': [[List of edible nuts]]

[[Image:Brazil nuts.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Brazil nuts come from a South American tree]]

According to the botanical definition, [[nut (fruit)|nuts]] are a particular kind of seed.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Nut
| title=Nut
| work=Biology Online Dictionary
| date=[[October 3]] [[2005]]
| accessdate=2006-12-26
}}</ref> [[Walnut]]s and [[acorn]]s are example of nuts, under this definition. In [[nut (fruit)|culinary terms]], however, the term is used more broadly to include fruits that are not botanically qualified as nuts, but that have a similar appearance and culinary role. Examples of culinary nuts include [[almond]]s, [[peanut]]s and [[cashew]]s.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.answers.com/topic/nut
| title=Nut
| work=The Columbia Online Encyclopedia
| date=2003
| accessdate=2006-12-26
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/es/faodef/fdef05e.htm|title=Nuts and derived products|work=Definition and Classification of Commodities|date=1996|accessdate=2006-12-26|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref>

* [[Almond#Culinary uses|Almond]]
* [[Beech]]
* [[Butternut (tree)|Butternut]]
* [[Brazilnut]]
* [[Candlenut]]
* [[Cashew#Uses|Cashew]]
* [[Chestnut#Nuts|Chestnuts]], including:
** [[Chinese Chestnut]]
** [[Pachira aquatica|Malabar chestnut]]
** [[Sweet Chestnut]]
* [[Colocynth]]
* ''[[Cucurbita ficifolia]]''
* [[Filbert]]
* [[Hickory#Uses|Hickory]], including
** [[Pecan]]
** [[Shagbark Hickory]]
* [[Kola nut]]
* [[Macadamia]]
* [[Mamoncillo]]
* [[Brosimum alicastrum|Maya nut]]
* [[acorn|Oak acorns]]
* [[Irvingia|Ogbono nut]]
* [[Lecythidaceae|Paradise nut]]
* [[Pili nut]]
* [[Walnut#Nuts|Walnut]]

=== Nut-like gymnosperm seeds ===
[[Image:KoreanPineSeeds.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Pine nuts are a Gymnosperm seed that is edible]]
* [[Cycad]]s
* [[Ginkgo]]
* ''[[Gnetum gnemon]]''
* [[Juniper]]
* [[Araucaria araucana|Monkey-puzzle]]
* [[Pine nut]]s, including
** [[Chilgoza Pine]]
** [[Korean Pine]]
** [[Stone Pine]]
** [[Colorado Pinyon]]
** [[Mexican Pinyon]]
** [[Single-leaf Pinyon]]
* [[Podocarps]]

== Spices ==
''See also:'' [[List of herbs and spices]]
[[Image:Coriander.png|thumb|right|200px|Coriander fruit (including its seeds) is a well-known spice.]]
Seeds that are used to flavor other foods include:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/index.html|title=Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages|accessdate=2006-12-26}}</ref>
* [[Ajowan]] seed
* [[Anise]] seed
* [[Black pepper]] seed
* [[Cardamom]] seed
* [[Caraway]] seed
* [[Celery]] seed
* [[Chile pepper]] seed
* [[Cubeb]] seed
* [[Cumin]] seed
* [[Coriander]] seed
* [[Dill]] seed
* [[Fennel]] seed
* [[Fenugreek]] seed
* [[Juniper]] seed
* [[Nutmeg|Mace]]
* [[Mustard seed]]
* [[Nigella]] seed
* [[Nutmeg]]
* [[Pomegranate]] seed
* [[Opium poppy#Use as food|Poppy seed]]
* [[Sesame]] seed
* [[Vanilla]]

== Miscellaneous ==
* [[Cempedak]]
* [[Durian]]
* [[Fluted pumpkin]]
* [[Jackfruit]]
* [[Lotus seed]]
* [[Malabar gourd]]
* [[Pistachio#Cultivation and uses|Pistachio]]
* [[Pumpkin seed]]
* [[Sunflower seed]]

== Edible fruits of which seeds are eaten incidentally ==
* [[Blackberry]]
* [[Blueberry]]
* [[Cranberry]]
* [[Cucumber]]
* [[Eggplant]]
* [[Fig]]
* [[Huckleberry]]
* [[Kiwifruit]]
* [[Mulberry]]
* [[Okra]]
* [[Raspberry]]
* [[Strawberry]]
* [[Tomatillo]]
* [[Tomato]]
* [[Winter melon]]
* [[Zucchini]]

== References ==
<references />
* {{cite book
| author=Bailey, L.H., Bailey, E.Z. and Bailey Hortorium Staff
| date=1976
| title=Hortus Third
| publisher=New York: Macmillan
}}
* {{cite book
| author=Lewington, A.
| date=1990
| title=Plants for People
| publisher=Cambridge, MA: Oxford University Press
}}

== See also ==
* [[List of vegetable oils]]
* [[List of snack foods#seeds or nuts|List of seed-based snacks]]
* [[Eastern Agricultural Complex]]
* [[Nut (fruit)]]
* [[Pulse (legume)|Pulse]]
* [[Seed]]

[[Category:Lists of foods|Seeds, list of edible]]
[[Category:Lists of plants]]
[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds| ]]