Cut, chop, and sprinkle! That’s how you eat the nutritional powerhouse, i.e., dry fruits. Not only are they yummy, but just a handful of them will keep you full for the rest of the day. There is no need to prepare them beforehand; just carry them in your pockets and eat them whenever you feel like doing so. Being enriched with so many essential nutrients like antioxidants, dietary fibres, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, one can easily include these in their regular diet.
Say no to your unhealthy, high-calorie snacks and opt for these small yet potent nuts to keep common as well as chronic health risks at bay with ease. Due to their high pricing, a lot of people aren’t able to consume these wholesome meals. While some dry fruits are there that do bear a high cost, their nutritional profile clearly justifies it.
Going by the saying “prevention is always better than cure,” we must consume the dry fruits on a daily basis, irrespective of their price. A number of health professionals have already highlighted their importance to us and how they help people go along with their daily chores. So keep on reading as we delve deep into knowing about the most expensive dry fruits in the world and how they are beneficial for you.
1. Macadamia Nuts
Can you believe a nut is being sold at a retail price of AUD 71.52 and people are actually buying it? Hard to believe, right? But this is the case with macadamia nuts, which are truly the most costly nut or dry fruit in the world. The reasons for being so are numerous, and one of them is their calorie count, as they have the highest calorie count of any nut. Just a serving of 100 grams of this nut will give you around 718 calories. There are in total 10 different species of macadamia plants, but only 2 of them produce good-quality macadamia nuts.
These nuts can be added to salads, pesto, pastries, pasta, and even beef meals, fish, and chicken, as they carry a very distinctive texture, crunch, and taste. The macadamia plant takes around 7–10 years to begin fruiting, and additionally, it requires 4-6 months for its branches to blossom and develop nuts in multiple stages. These are naturally low in carbohydrates and sugar content and carry a range of essential nutrients like antioxidants and dietary fibre with them, making them effective against issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other digestive health-related issues as well.
2. Chestnuts
Carrying a retail price ranging between 17.67 AUD and 44.20 AUD comes Chestnuts. They are considered to be one of the most nutritious nuts all over the globe. Being rich in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, including manganese, magnesium, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid, these are consumed in various manners. Another reason for their popularity is that they are high in antioxidants. These nuts are easily digestible and are vegan, gluten-free, hypoallergenic, and non-GMO as well.
These are good for individuals suffering from cardiovascular and indigestion issues. Being a good source of fibre makes them good for supporting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut as well. They also have the ability to balance the blood sugar and help the body absorb excess starch. Just taking half a cup of chestnuts will fulfil around 35 to 45 percent of your body’s requirement for vitamin C. Try eating them after roasting instead of boiling them, as doing otherwise would lessen their vitamin C content.
3. Pistachios
Pistachios are the king of all dry fruits when it comes to choosing a nut to be added to a desert. They carry a bit more price due to their production being expensive. Essential nutrients such as protein, dietary fibre, and antioxidants are plentiful in these powerhouse nuts. It takes around 4 to 5 years for their trees to produce a reasonable amount of fruit and at least 15-20 years to reach their maximum fruit-producing capacity. Having a great demand but featuring a labour-intensive process with low production, pistachios are a bit costly.
In addition to that, they require suitable climate conditions for their proper growth, which affects their prices. Plus, carrying a higher perceived value and demand makes their price even more expensive. If they are to be imported from a whole different place, the price will go up even more. They are the go-to dry fruit choice to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Researches have also shown that eating them regularly keeps your blood pressure low as well.
4. Cashew Nuts
Along with carrying a number of nutritional benefits, cashew nuts are also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, and magnesium. There are a number of valid reasons why their price is a bit on the higher side. The most probable one is that they grow in sandy and loamy soils, making their growth more limited. Plus, the steps involved in processing them further increase their price. For instance, a cashew nut weighing 4-6 grams upon entering the factory will remain at just 1.5-3 grams after getting processed.
Doing so is a necessity, as they need to be processed extensively before they can be eaten, as they carry a toxin named “urushiol,” which carries a number of ill effects. Ways of adding them to your daily diet are numerous, as one can either eat them raw as they are or add them to the desired curries and gravies. Plus, their neutral flavour makes them an even greater choice for adding a shape, crunch, or texture to a recipe. For vegans, taking in cashew milk in place of normal dairy milk would be another great option to consume cashew nuts.
5. Walnuts
They are edible seeds of the walnut tree that are enclosed in a shell. Their trees require distinctive soil and climate requirements, making them a bit more expensive for individuals to buy. Plus, they take a long period of time to mature and start producing nuts afterwards. This long period results in asking for more investment as well as maintenance costs for farmers that become part of the final retail price of these nuts. The process of removing these nuts from their protective husk is also a labour-intensive one that gets added to its price again.
Carrying a kind of astringent flavour makes them a good companion for complementing the sweeter flavours. These are also good in terms of antioxidants in comparison to other dry fruits. They are also rich in vitamins, minerals, fats, and fibre that keep the individual healthy from the inside. Eating them regularly also helps an individual get stronger bones and continue their weight management journey. The omega-3 fatty acids in them are really good for improving brain health as well as preventing the risk of cancer.
6. Pine Nuts
Taking a tree around 6 to 8 years to grow and then an additional 2-3 years to produce a pine really justifies the high price that pine nuts carry. Not only until it grows, but the time spent processing them to send them to the market also gets added to its total cost. In addition to that, the task of climbing a 100-foot tree is a labour-intensive process that results in higher costs. These are one of the most important ingredients to be added to pesto because of their soft, piney flavour and chewy texture.
These tiny nuts are a great source of fulfilling your fat and protein requirements, making them an amazing choice for replacing your calorie-dense, unhealthy snacks. These nuts are highly effective for boosting one’s energy levels as they are rich in magnesium, protein, and iron. Plus, the antioxidant power that vitamin E has in them is good for keeping one’s skin healthy and young in appearance.
7. Almonds
Everyone is familiar with almonds, as they might have had a handful of them at least once in their life. It takes around 5 years for almond trees to begin their process of producing almonds. Additionally, they may require around 12 years to produce some different varieties of almonds that are really great. In addition to that, they always have great demand in the market, but their supply isn’t enough. The reason for being so is their slow production process, as they need a certain kind of environment to grow in.
Their nutritional profile is also quite high, as they contain a lot of healthy fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals as well. This is how their nutritional density justifies their higher prices. There are various ways in which almonds are sold, such as whole, sliced, slivered, and blanched. At times, they are also sold as flours that are used for making flourless cakes and tortes.
8. Brazil Nuts
A brazil nut is capable of fulfilling an adult’s RDA of selenium, as a single nut has around 68–91 micrograms of selenium in it. Their trees are considered to be the longest-lived trees in the Amazon rainforest. They take years to mature properly and get tall enough, making them difficult to harvest. Most of their production is done in Bolivia, which accounts for more than 50% of the overall production. The task of finding and manually harvesting them to collect the pine nuts is a laborious and time-consuming one.
Plus, these nuts have a thicker shell that’s not easy to crack at all, making the process of taking out the nuts a time-consuming one. This also contributes to their elevated prices. People around the world love having these nuts by adding them to their spaghetti, enjoying brazil nut milk, making truffles out of them, and much more. A lot of people have also said that these nuts have a very nutty, buttery, and creamy flavour, just like the macadamia nuts.
9. Pecan Nuts
These nuts are a species coming from Mexico and the Southern US that grows on hickory trees. They are a good source of various essential nutrients as they have a good number of vitamins and minerals in them. Raw pecan nuts are free from cholesterol and sodium and feature a low number of carbs in them. People admire them a lot due to their buttery flavour, and they also carry a sweet taste. This makes them an excellent choice for those looking for a healthy snacking option.
One factor making these nuts so expensive is the fact that they take around 8–10 years to grow and deliver the amazing, scrumptious pecan nuts. Plus, the harvesting process involved in it is also quite extensive, one that often gets affected by bad climatic conditions, affecting its price again. The optimum amount of healthy fats, protein, and fibre that these nuts have helps an individual remain satisfied and energetic for a long time. Plus, they are also a great source of magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which help an individual keep their blood pressure under control.
10. Hazelnuts
Also referred to as filberts are hazelnuts, which are edible seeds grown in the hazel tree. One needs to peel off their outer layer before consuming them, as it’s quite hard. There are a number of ways one can consume these healthy nuts, such as making pastries, brownies, pasta, ice creams, and cakes out of them. It carries a very sweet and nutty flavour and crunchy texture that is loved equally by all.
There are reasons for them being expensive; one such reason is that they are hand-picked and harvested in a short period of time. Along with it, they also require an optimal growing condition to grow adequately, making the whole cultivation and harvesting process quite challenging. Despite the fact that they can be eaten raw, one should opt for roasting them before consuming them. This will also enhance their crunchiness, making them a suitable choice for adding them to soups and salads.
Summary Points
Eating dry fruits not only satisfies your hunger, but it also provides your body with so many essential nutrients and minerals. Each and every single dry fruit mentioned above justifies its pricing, as a lot of hard work goes into growing and harvesting them. Whether you’re looking to munch on something or looking to fulfil your body’s nutritional deficiency, all these nuts really have something worth offering.
So do make sure to include these everyday treats to make your life much more enthusiastic and healthy as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Macadamia nuts are the most expensive dry fruit in the world.
Going by the richness, pistachios are the richest dry fruit in the world as they are highly adored for their nutritional benefits, and rich buttery flavour that they carry.
Almonds are considered to be the king of all dry fruits.
Walnuts and almonds are considered to be the best foods among dry fruits.
You can have cashew nuts, walnuts, and almonds on a daily basis.
Among all dry fruits, pistachios have the most protein in them.
Dry fruits that are filled with nutrients, such as almonds and walnuts, are considered to be the best for the brain, as they help a person improve their mental clarity, memory, and focus.
You can, but try avoiding eating them at night and instead having them during the day itself to get the most benefit out of them.
Macadamia nuts carry the highest amount of calories among all dry fruits, as just 100 grams of these nuts will give you around 718 calories.
