Nuts are an important source of protein in the vegan diet and are commonly used in both sweet and savoury, vegan recipes. So if you have some spare room in your garden, why not plant a few nut trees? Even if you have no intention of harvesting and eating the nuts yourself nut trees make excellent wildlife plants and planting extra trees will help to reduce global warming. If you have a lot of room you could even consider planting a nut orchard or mixing nut trees with fruit trees to make a forest garden. And, if you have dormice living in your area, you can help them by planting a hazel hedge which will provide extra food for them. For the dormouse, like the hedgehog, has been affected by the constant destruction of the hedgerow and is now completely extinct in some English counties.
Which Nut Tree?
Sweet chestnuts, hazelnuts, acorns, pine nuts, almonds and walnuts can all be grown successfully in the UK.
1. The Hazel
'Hazel' is the common name given to over 15 species of nut bearing shrubs. It includes the the European Filbert (Corylus avellana) the filbert (Corylus maxima) and the cob nut. The European Filbert will grow in all parts of the British Isles and is the easiest type of nut tree to grow in the UK, however, you need to plant a mixture of hazel varieties to ensure good pollination. Corylus americana, Corylus californica and Corylus cornuta are varieties of filberts, which can be grown in the USA, but they will only produce nuts in certain areas. They are grown commercially in the states of Washington and Oregon.In Britain, hazels can reach a height of six metres (20 '). Early in the year (usually in February) these woody bushes develop long drooping catkins - the male flowers. The female flowers are inconspicious and when they are pollinated they expand into nuts which are usually fully ripe by October. Hazelnuts are much loved by pheasants, pigeons, jays, grey squirrels and dormice. Hazels grow best in well-drained soil, in a sunny position, but they will also tolerate partial shade. They make excellent wind-breaks and are an important source of early nectar.
There are also quite a few cultivated forms of hazel available including: Cosford Cob, Webb's Prize Cob and Nottingham Cob (Pearson's Prolific) and these tend to produce better nuts than the wild forms.
The hazel was once coppiced and the 'rods' were used to make baskets, fences and bean and pea poles. They were also burnt for firewood or used as a building material - for example: under thatched roofs or as 'wattle' in the walls of houses. In the UK, filberts are grown commercially in Kent. Hazelnuts are used mainly for food, although the oil is often used in soap or perfume.
2. Sweet Chestnut - Castanea sativa
Sweet Chestnuts grow well in the UK but will only produce fruit in southern Britain. They grow best in SE England but will grow in southern Britain and the Midlands and many still grow naturally in the New Forest and the Forest of Dean. Sweet Chestnuts are generally too big (20-30 metres) to be grown in most gardens. Also, as they are not reliably self-fertile, it is usually necessary to plant more than one tree to ensure good pollination. However, if you don't have room for two trees, it is now possible to purchase a 2-in-1 grafted tree which has a pollinator grafted onto the fruiting variety. The variety Marron de Lyon is recommended for use in a forest garden, by Robert Hart in his book Forest Gardening.The Sweet Chestnut's large leaves open in April and catkins are produced in June which bear both the male and female flowers. If pollinated, the flowers develop into chestnuts which will ripen by October. The chestnuts are surrounded by a leathery, prickly, skin which offers some protection from hungry animals, although humans, squirrels, mice, pheasants and pigeons all like to eat these nuts.
3. The Walnut
Walnuts can grow up to 100 feet high and are usually grown for their hard wood and nuts. Six species are grown in the USA: Juglans nigra, J. cinerea, J.microcarpa, J.major, J.califorica and J.hindsii. They are mainly grown in the states of California and Oregan. Walnuts will also grow in Mexico, Central America, Italy, Japan and China and the Persian Walnut (Juglans regia) will grow in the UK, but it requires a hot summer in order to fruit well. Some species of walnuts are self-fertile, otherwise two unrelated trees need to be planted to ensure pollination, Walnuts like a well-drained soil and grow best in a sheltered and sunny position. Buccanneer or Broadview are good varieties to use in the UK as they take only two years to bear fruit, whereas most walnuts take 3-10 years. Generally, walnuts flower in May and there are separate male and female flowers. If pollinated, the ovary expands to form a green fruit which has a thick leathery skin. This immature fruit can be harvested in August and pickled in vinegar or it can be left on the tree to ripen and harvested in October.
4. The Almond
The almond tree (Prunus amygdalus) is much cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean countries and in the Middle East. It will also grow in Spain, Italy, California and Australia. It is related to and resembles the peach and can grow up to 9m (30') high. Prunus dulcis (Common Almond) can be grown in southern Britain but as almond trees tend to flower very early in the year and are susceptible to frost damage, some form of protection will probably be necessary if you want your tree to bear nuts. Most almonds are self sterile and need to be cross-pollinated, so encourage bees to come into your garden (e.g. by companion planting) to ensure good pollination. Almonds need deep soil, a warm climate and adequate rainfall (16-40"/yr) and like peaches, they grow well against south-facing walls. Almond oil is used as a food flavouring and almonds are often used in baking, to make marzipan and in many Asian vegetarian dishes.
5. Pine Nuts
Pine kernels are high in protein and are frequently used in vegetarian and vegan cookery, especially in Mediterranean dishes. Pines are coniferous trees and it is possible to grow many varieties in the UK including: Pinus armandii, P.cembroides 'Edulis', P. flexilis, P.pinea and P. sabiniana. I have not been able to find any information on the wildlife that feeds on these varieties of pine cones, but would suspect that they might be a valuable food source for red squirrels, mice, crossbills or woodpeckers.
6. Acorns - Quercus spp.
Acorns grow on oak trees and most types of acorns can be eaten by humans, providing the bitter-tasting tannins are removed. Acorns are usually ground into acorn meal, a gluten free flour, which can be used in many recipes or they can be roasted to make a coffee substitute. They can also be made into animal feed and in the New Forest they are still used to fatten pigs which are then let loose in the Autumn, to forage in the forest.Oak trees can grow up to 30 metres in height. Their leaves open in April and the catkin-like flowers appear in May. Acorns are an important source of food for many animals including: squirrels, wood mice, pheasants, jays, woodpeckers and wood-pigeons. The oak tree is also an important source of a very durable and attractive timber which is used to make sturdy furniture and for the beams and rafters in many buildings. Shitake mushrooms can be grown on Autumn and winter felled oak logs.
7. Beech - Fagus sylvatica
Beech grows in many areas of Britain including: southern Britain, South Wales, Scotland, Ireland and northern England. Catkins are produced in April and if fertilised the beech nut develops over the summer, reaching maturity in October. Beech nuts are eaten by many animals including squirrels, dormice, wood pigeons and many other kinds of birds and were once used to fatten pigs.
Unsalted nuts can make a highly nutritious snack. They are easy to carry, travel well (they don't melt like chocolate) and because they are high in calories they are an excellent source of energy, if you are doing something active like walking. However, they can be fattening if eaten frequently between meals and so it is better to use them as a source of protein in a main course dish. The most famous nut-containing vegan main courses are of course nut cutlets and nut roast! But nuts can also be used in curries, stuffings, pies and to make various burgers, patties and croquettes. And, in Pete Cox's book: Why You Don't Need Meat, there is a nice recipe for Hungarian Goulash. This recipe uses chestnut puree to thicken a soya-chunk based goulash. Leah Leneman (365 Plus One Vegan Recipes) has a whole chapter of nut recipes and I particularly like her Hazelnut and Potato Patties and her Spaghetti with Chestnut Sauce recipe. Have a look through some vegan cookery books; nut recipes are usually fairly easy to find. If you don't want to eat nuts, then they can also be made into delicious non-dairy nut milks and these can be used on top of cereals or in milk shakes, instead of soya milk. Nut milks can be whizzed up very quickly, if you have an electric blender - try adding 1/4 cup of peanut butter to 1 cup of water and blend for 30 secs. (Nut milk recipe from the Cookbook for People Who Love Animals.) Another way of using nuts, in the vegan diet, is in the form of nut butters. There are many types of nut butter available, apart from peanut butter. Look in your health shop for almond butter, cashew butter or hazelnut spreads. A peanut butter sandwich must be one of the most easily prepared vegan meals yet invented. All nut butters are energy dense, protein-rich foods and they are ideal for rapidly growing vegan children who may need extra calories.
Nuts in the Vegan Diet
Nuts are a valuable source of protein in the vegan diet. Peanuts for example contain 24.3 g of protein/100g and walnuts 20.5 g/100g and although they are high in fat, a large proportion of this fat is polyunsaturated. Nuts contain vitamin E, linoleic acid and many of the B vitamins, particularly B1, B2, B3 and B6. They also provide the minerals magnesium and zinc in appreciable amounts and can be an important source of calcium in the vegan diet. Almonds are particularly high in calcium and also contain a small amount of iron.
The Nutritional Value of Nuts
An interesting article (Sensible Eaters Are Advised to Go Nuts) was published in The Times, on November 18th 1997. Apparently, recent research has shown that eating more nuts could prolong your life and offer some protection against heart disease. And previous studies on Greek heart attack patients showed that those who ate a lot of walnuts (which are very high in alpha-linoleic acid) were less likely to suffer a second heart attack. So it appears that nuts are very good for your health!
March 2009 update: However, Caldwell B Esselstyn MD in his book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease recommends that people with heart disease should avoid eating nuts altogether and that people who do not have heart disease should eat moderate amounts of walnuts only.
Further Reading:
- 365 plus One Vegan Recipes by Lea Leneman (Reviewed in the October 1996 Issue). Chapter 10. Pages 76-84.
- Not Milk - Nut Milk - 40 of the Most Original Dairy-Free Recipes Ever. By Candia Lea Cole.
- New Leaves (Issue 49, p. 12-13) contains some information on chestnuts, including four simple chestnut recipes for vegans. Available from MCL c/o Veggies, Sumac Centre.
- Forest Gardening by Robert A de J Hart.
- How to Make a Forest Garden. By Patrick Whitefield. (Reviewed in the May 1997 Issue)
- The Agroforestry Research Trust produces a useful booklet on growing nuts/tree crops. (They also supply plants and seeds.)
- The Kentish Cobnuts Association produces a newsletter.
Nut-Related Websites
Most of the following nut-related sites are American, but they are nevertheless worth visiting if you are thinking of growing some nuts.
Mail Order Suppliers (UK)
- Nutwood Nurseries
Nutwood Nurseries offer a good range of nut trees which will grow in the UK. Many types of nut producing trees are available including those which produce acorns, almonds, sweet chestnuts, hazelnuts/filberts, walnuts and pine nuts. Trees are usually despatched between November and February. Tel: 01766 81904.
- Cool Temperate - Sells various nut trees by mail order. Information added in March 2009.
- Agroforest Research Trust Information added in March 2009.