Written By Sam Henselijn
Was there anything better in your childhood than tearing into a fresh bag of double dipped peanuts at the fair? The sweetness paired with that perfect crunch used to be an essential part of summer. Luckily, with our products, it still can be! From spicy peanuts to buttery-sweet cashews, covered nuts are a customer favorite. These types are fairly diverse, so we’ve created A Guide to Covered Nuts to help make your next snacking decision.
What Are Covered Nuts?
They are exactly what they sound like: covered! they are any type of raw or roasted nut that have a flavored coating. For some types of nut, this involves a crunchy outer candy coating. For others, spicy powder gives them flavor. In recent years, they have become a little harder to find in corner stores across the United States. At L’Orenta, however, we still have a very large selection of many people’s childhood favorites.
Who Invented Covered Nuts?
No one is sure who invented the first covered nut, but we do
know that seasoning nuts with spices has been around for centuries. More than 750,000 years ago, nuts were a primary part of human diets. As early as 50,0000 B.C., the Greeks and Romans created starches, oils, and butters using nuts. They also roasted and seasoned nuts with a variety of spices and herbs.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that chocolate-dipped fruits and nuts became popular. In fact, the first commercially sold chocolate covered peanut didn’t hit store shelves until 1925. Since then, they have been a popular treat of sports fans and movie goers.
What Types Are There?
They usually fall into one of three categories. These categories, however, can be very broad. This is partially because there is no set flavor profile for each category. For example, seasoning covered nuts can be sweet while candy covered can be spicy. Instead, the categories are based loosely on the overall texture of the nut.
Candy Covered
Candy covered nuts refer to any type of nut covered in a hard,
sugary coating. These can have very minimal ingredients like our Butter Toffee Cashews. Just cashews, sugar, butter, and salt make these delicious candy-covered gems. Other candy-covered nuts are much more complex both in composition and in flavor. Our classic french burnt peanuts are savory on the inside and super sweet on the outside. They can offer a lot of variety. If you like snacks with a good crunch, definitely check them out.
Chocolate Covered
These are self-explanatory, but it is worth noting that all chocolate covered nuts are not peanuts! While chocolate covered peanuts were the first to be commercially available, other chocolate covered nuts have become popular. Still, we can’t ignore a classic! Our Double Dipped Peanuts are one of our favorite go-to snacks for a boost of sweet energy.
Seasoning Covered
Seasoning covered nuts can range from sweet and sticky powders like honey to red hot spice. Seasoned nuts are particularly popular around the holidays when they can be found in decorative tins. Not only are they delicious, but they are considered one of the healthier choices when it comes to flavored nuts. To satisfy those with a sweet tooth, we suggest our honey-toasted pecans. For those who like a spicy flair, cinnamon pecans are sure to be your new favorite.
Are Covered Nuts Bad For Me?
They aren’t bad for you at all! In fact, they might be a safer for you than raw nuts. While raw nuts have a lot of important nutrients in them, they also might carry bacteria and fungi. Covered nuts are roasted before receiving their coating, so you can rest assured that there is no risk of salmonella or E.coli. As for health benefits, covered nuts and normal nuts don’t differ all that much. While they should certainly be eaten in moderation, even chocolate covered nuts offer health benefits. Some studies found that chocolate covered almonds can lower cholesterol.
What Are Some Fun Facts?
- Did you know that there is a National Nut Day in the United States? It happens every year on February 25th.
- One of the healthiest covered nuts you can eat are almonds! They have a ton of flavonoids that help lower the risk of diabetes.
- The spiciest covered nut in the world scores over 16,000,000 on the Scoville scale.
- Don’t refrigerate nuts that have been roasted. Sugar and chocolate can absorb odors and make your snack taste spoiled.
Sam Henselijn Author’s Biography – Meet L’Orenta Nuts CEO
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L’Orenta Nuts proudly holds the SQF food safety certification, symbolizing our unwavering dedication to upholding the highest standards of food safety and quality. This certification guarantees that our products undergo rigorous scrutiny, ensuring transparency, traceability, and adherence to global food safety regulations for the utmost consumer confidence.
L’Orenta Nuts has the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) certification is a systematic approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety hazards. It ensures that food products are produced and handled in a manner that minimizes risks and complies with safety standards.
Our GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certification ensures that a manufacturing facility adheres to comprehensive quality and safety standards while producing pharmaceuticals, food, and other consumer goods, promoting consistency, quality, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
L’Orenta is an FDA-approved manufacturing facility and has met the rigorous standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It demonstrates compliance with regulations, ensuring the production of safe and high-quality food products.
