The peanut, or groundnut, is a species in the legume family. Peanuts have many other names - they are also known as earthnuts, goobers, goober peas, pindas, jack nuts, pinders, manila nuts and when in their shells are called monkey nuts. After pollination, the fruit develops into a legume which is 3-7cm long and contains1-4 seeds. These mature underground into peanuts which are a kind of pea. There are many varieties of peanuts grown over the world. Peanuts are used roasted and salted as snacks, as well as for making peanut butter. Peanut oil is often used in cooking, because it has a mild flavour and burns at quite a high temperature. Liberation's peanuts come from farming groups in Malawi, Mozambique and Nicaragua.

Nutritional information
Peanuts and peanut butter are natural whole foods with a high fat content (about 50%) but no cholesterol. Peanuts are rich in essential fatty acids, high in protein (25%) which is as much as canned corn beef! They contain 10% carbohydrates and provide around 290 Kcal per 50g. Peanuts have twice the amount of dietary fibre per 100g as brown bread. About 70% of the fatty acids in peanuts are unsaturated, with about 22% as monounsaturated fats. What this all means is that there is a huge amount of benefit from eating peanuts - though too many would not be good for a calorie controlled diet.

Peanuts are rich in the minerals potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and contain as much manganese as chick peas for the same weight. They have as much iodine, gramme for gramme, as squid (iodine is an essential mineral for the formation of thyroxin, a thyroid hormone that helps regulate body metabolism). Meanwhile 100g of peanuts provide as much iron and five times the zinc as 100g of chicken curry! Peanuts are as high in niacin which is vitamin B3 as grilled turkey breast. They are also rich in coenzyme Q10, a potent antioxidant (antioxidants are the substances that can prevent damage to your body cells or repair damage that has been done).

It gets better- a recent study showed that peanuts had the high amount of total polyphenolic compounds known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. And just for good measure, peanuts do not form decay-causing acids in the mouth when eaten, unlike sweet snacks.

The cashew tree is a small evergreen tree that grows up to 15 m high. It has a thick, irregularly shaped trunk with heavy branches. The cashew tree produces fruit which grows from its flowers. This large pulpy and juicy pear-shaped fruit has a fine sweet flavour and is called the cashew fruit or the cashew apple. Although the fruit itself is also nutritious it is too fragile to export from areas where cashews grow but is enjoyed locally. The cashew nut itself grows externally in its own kidney-shaped hard shell at the end of the fruit and each fruit only produces one nut. The cashew nut tree was originally spread from Brazil by the Portuguese, and is now cultivated in all regions with a sufficiently warm and humid climate. Liberation's cashews come from farming co-operatives in India and Mozambique.

Nutritional information
Cashew nuts have 50% fat but no cholesterol and around 29% of the fat in cashew nuts is healthy monounsaturated fat. Cashews have as much protein per gramme as chicken and are rich in dietary fibre. A handful of cashew nuts - or 25g - can provide women with 10% and men with 20% of their daily requirement of iron and cashew nuts are a good source of potassium, copper, manganese and zinc. Cashew nuts are also a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin E and folic acid. A 25g portion provides about 150 calories, less than an average bag of crisps.

Recent clinical trials have shows that cashews and other nuts seem to have a beneficial effect on those with diabetes or at risk for diabetes if eaten as part of a controlled diet. They have also been linked to reducing gall stone disease in men.

The Brazil nut tree can be 50 meters high or more and live for eight hundred years. The tree is called castanhas- do-Pará (literally chestnuts from Pará) in Bolivia , the most significant exporter of Brazil nuts despite their name. Brazil nuts can also be found in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. The fruit is a big, round pod, up to 2.2 kg in weight and inside each fruit pod, wedged in like orange segments, are up to 25 Brazil nuts, each in its own shell. Mature Brazil nut trees can produce approximately 300 or more of these fruit pods per year but the pods take 14 months to mature. Brazil nut trees require pollination from a particular type of bee found only in rainforests and Brazil nuts are harvested from the wild as it isn't viable to plant them. Brazil nut gathering provides a sustainable source of income for the residents of the Amazon region and positively contributes to help the fight against illegal logging. In this was the sale of Brazil nuts, particularly on Fairtrade terms, helps to protect the rainforest. Liberation's Brazil nuts come from nut gathering co-operatives in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.

Nutritional information
Brazil nuts have a high fat content (about 68%) and also contain 21% protein and 7% carbohydrates. They have about the same amount of dietary fibre per 100g as wholemeal bread. About 70% of the fatty acids in Brazil nuts are unsaturated, with about 26% as monounsaturated fats. Brazil nuts are cholesterol free and provide about 341Kcals per 50g. Brazil nuts are low in sodium but rich in the minerals potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and selenium. 100g of Brazil nuts provide 75% of the iron and zinc we require daily, twice as much phosphorus, six times as much manganese and as much as 25 times the amount of selenium as 100g of grilled rump steak. Brazil nuts are also rich in Vitamin E and Thiamin (B1) with 100g of Brazil nuts providing 7 times the amount of vitamin E as in 100g egg, and14 times the amount you'll find in 100g of wheatgerm bread. Brazil nuts are also rich in bioactive phytochemicals which may help promote good health and prevent disease in later life.

Macadamia trees can grow up to 40 feet tall and do not begin to produce commercial quantities of nuts until they reach 7–10 years old. Once established, however, the trees can continue to provide a harvest for 100 years. It is native to Australia. The macadamia nut's kernel is extremely hard to crack, but may open spontaneously if left in a warm dry place. Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs just like chocolate! Liberation's macadamias come from a farming group in Malawi.

Nutritional information
Macadamia nuts have 70-80% fat so they are high in calories, but contain no cholesterol. Around 60% of the fat in macadamia is mono-unsaturated, mainly oleic acid which is also found in olive oil. Research shows that this high supply of mono-unsaturated fatty acid potentially helps to reduce the risks of several cancers. As the fat content of macadamia nuts is high, they have a lower protein content than other nuts (8%) but their carbohydrate and fibre content are similar. The fibre helps us feel full and may also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Macadamia nuts are a good source of a number of minerals including iron, zinc, and manganese which is an important compound for the body’s natural defence system.