List of edible seeds

An edible seed is a seed that is suitable for human consumption. Of the six major plant parts, seeds are the dominant source of human calories and protein. A wide variety of plant species provide edible seeds; most are angiosperms, while a few are gymnosperms. As a global food source, the most important edible seeds by weight are cereals, followed by legumes, nuts, and spices.

Grain crops (cereals and millets) and legumes correspond with the botanical families Poaceae and Fabaceae, respectively, while nuts, pseudocereals, and other seeds form polyphylic groups based on their culinary roles.

Grains Grains are the edible seed of a plants in the grass family Poaceae. Grains come in two varieties: the larger grains produced by drought-sensitive crops are called cereals and the smaller drought-resistant varieties are millets. Grains can be consumed in a variety of ways, all of which require husking and cooking, including whole, rolled, puffed, or ground into flour. Many cereals are present or past staple foods, providing a large fraction of the calories in the places in which they are eaten. Today, cereals provide almost half of all calories consumed in the world.

Cereals Family Tribe Genus Species Seed name(s) Photo Poaceae Andropogoneae SorghumS. bicolor sorghum ThemedaT. triandrakangaroo grass, red oat grass Zea Z. mays maize, corn, corn kernelCynodonteaeAstreblaA. pectinatabarley MitchellEleusineE. coracanafinger milletEragrostideaeEragrostisE. eriopodawoollybutt grassE. tefteffOryzeaeOryzaO. sativa Asian rice O. glaberrima African riceZizania Z. palustris wild ricePaniceaeCenchrusC. americanuspearl milletDigitariaD. iburuablack fonioD. exiliswhite fonioPanicumP. australiensebunch panicP. decompositumnative milletP. effusumhairy panicP. miliaceumproso milletP. sumatrenselittle milletSetariaS. italicafoxtail milletUrochloaU. piligerawattle signalgrassPoeaeAvenaA. sativa oat, oat groatTriticeaeHordeumH. vulgare barley, barley groatSecaleS. cereale rye, rye berry× TriticosecaletriticaleTriticumT. aestivum(including subsp. spelta) wheat, common wheat, bread wheat, wheat berry, spelt, spelt wheatT. monococcumeinkornT. turgidum(including subsp. dicoccum, durum and turanicum)emmer, kamut, durum, durum wheatThinopyrumT. intermediumKernza, intermediate wheatgrass

Pseudocereals A pseudocereal, or pseudocereal grain, is the edible seed of a pseudocereal, one of a polyphyletic group of plants that produce seeds that resemble those of cereals. Pseudocereals are used in many of the same ways as cereals.

Pseudocereals Family Genus Species Seed name(s) Photo Amaranthaceae Amaranthus amaranth, amaranth grain Chenopodium C. berlandieri pitseed goosefoot C. pallidicaule kañiwa C. quinoa quinoa Capparaceae Boscia B. senegalensis hanza Lamiaceae Salvia S. hispanica chia, chia seed Linaceae Linum L. usitatissimum flax, flaxseed, linseed Moraceae Brosimum B. alicastrum breadnut Pedaliaceae Sesamum S. indicum sesame, sesame seed Polygonaceae Fagopyrum F. esculentum buckwheat, buckwheat groat

Legumes

A legume, or pulse, is the edible seed of a legume, a plant in the family Fabaceae. Legumes can be divided into grams, which do not split, and dals, which split.

Legumes Family Tribe Genus Species Seed name(s) PhotoFabaceaeCicereaeCicerC. arietinumchickpea, garbanzo bean, gramDalbergieaeArachisA. hypogaeapeanut (groundnut)FabeaeLathyrusL. oleraceuspeaViciaV. fabafava bean, broad beanV. lenslentil Millettieae Millettia M. pinnata Indian beechnut PhaseoleaeCajanusC. cajanpigeon pea Glycine G. max soybean PhaseolusP. coccineus runner beanP. lunatus lima bean P. vulgaris common bean VignaV.aconitifolia moth beanV. angularis adzuki bean V. mungo black gram V. radiata mung bean, green gram V. subterranea Bambara groundnut V. unguiculata cowpea

Although some beans can be consumed raw, some need to be heated before consumption. In certain cultures, beans that require heating are initially prepared as a seed cake. Beans that need heating include: Acacia species (wattleseed), such as mulga (Acacia aneura), Halls Creek wattle (A. cowleana), southern ironwood (A. estrophiolata), umbrella bush (A. ligulata), Murray's wattle (A. murrayana), curara (A. tetragonophylla), witchetty bush (A. kempeana), wiry wattle (A. coriacea), mallee golden wattle (A. notabilis), ranji bush (A. pyrifolia), bardi bush (A. victoriae), coastal wattle (A. sophorae), shoestring acacia (A. stenophylla), and pindan wattle (A. tumida). Atriplex nummularia – old man saltbush Brachychiton species, such as kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus), northern kurrajong (B. diversifolius), desert kurrajong (B. gregorii), and red-flowered kurrajong (B. paradoxus). Bruguiera gymnorhiza – black mangrove Calandrinia balonensis – parakeelya Canarium australianum – mango bark Canavalia rosea – beach bean Entada phaseoloides – St. Thomas bean Marsilea drummondii – nardoo Vincetoxicum lineare – purple pentatrope

Nuts

According to the botanical definition, nuts are a particular kind of fruit. Chestnuts, hazelnuts, and acorns are examples of nuts under this definition. In 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 almonds and cashews.

Acorn Almond Beech Brazil nut Candlenut Cashew Chestnuts, including: Chinese chestnut Japanese chestnut Sweet chestnut Chilean hazel Coconut Egusi and other squash and melon seeds, including: Colocynth Malabar gourd Pepita Ugu Guinea peanut Hazelnuts, including: Filbert Hickory, including: Pecan Shagbark hickory Kola nut Macadamia Malabar almond Malabar chestnut Mamoncillo Mongongo Ogbono Paradise nut Pili Pistachio Shea nut Walnuts, including: Black walnut

Nut-like gymnosperm seeds

Edible gymnosperm seeds that resembles nuts include:

Ginkgo Gnetum Juniper Monkey-puzzle Pine nuts, including Pinhão Chilgoza pine Korean pine Mexican pinyon Piñon pine Single-leaf pinyon Stone pine Podocarps

Spices

Anise Annatto Black pepper Caraway Cardamom Celery seed Coriander Cumin Fenugreek Nigella Nutmeg Mustard seed Poppy seed Sesame Star anise Sumac Vanilla

As part of fruit

Most berries, such as Blackberry Blueberry Mulberry Raspberry Strawberry Some culinary vegetables, such as Tomato Chili pepper and bell pepper Cucumber Zucchini Guava Kiwifruit Passion fruit Pitaya Pomegranate Watermelon

Other Other edible seeds that do not neatly fit into the above categories include:

Cempedak Cocoa bean Coffee bean Durian Fox nut Hemp seed Jackfruit Lotus seed Osage orange seed Papaya seed Sunflower seed Pumpkin seed

List of edible seeds

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