When it comes to the history of nuts, Ezra Cohen, McGill University graduate and founder of Ezra Cohen Montreal, considers himself to be a bit nutty on the topic. Nuts, after all, are at the very heart of our nut butters, and they’ve been a huge part of the human diet for centuries. In fact, archaeologists have discovered that we’ve been eating nuts—and lots of them—for at least 780,000 years.

Despite the fact that most of us regularly consume nuts, however, their origin story is not always very well known. That’s why we’ve put together this quick and handy explainer on the history of this unstoppable superfood.

Where do nuts come from?

There are a lot of types of nuts. As such, there is no singular place that all nuts can be traced back to.

The walnut, for example, is thought to originate in the Middle East, where its earliest remains can be traced back to 50,000 B.C. The pecan, on the other hand, is a nut that is only found in North America, and scientists were able to find evidence of the nut’s existence in Texas dated back to 6100 B.C. Then there’s the hazelnut, listed among the five sacred nourishments of God in a Chinese manuscript from 2838 B.C.

So how have nuts existed in so many places and during so many times throughout history? Nuts are derived from other natural wonders namely fruits, trees, and plants. And since these vary from location to location throughout the world, the nuts produced and found in these locations also vary. The way they were discovered and used has also varied. One thing is clear, however: humans knew they were on to something special when they discovered nuts, and their continued ubiquity today is really no surprise.

How many types of nuts are there?

There are 53 different types of edible nuts, but not all of them rank quite as high in popularity as the 11 that make up the core of our nut consumption:

• Peanuts
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Pecans
• Brazil Nuts
• Cashews
• Chestnuts
• Pine Nuts
• Pistachios
• Macadamia Nuts

Stretch the list a bit further and you’ll find some other familiar names, including hickory nuts, gingko nuts, and yes, even coconuts.

The list can be further expanded if you note not just the types of nuts themselves that have enjoyed popularity among humans for centuries, but their uses. Nut oils, nut butters, and other nut products are just as important in their own right in the human diet, and represent an obsession with this wholesome category of food that clearly has no sign of dying down any time soon.

Visit our product page and learn more about how our delicious line of nut butters can be added to your favorite dishes!

Ezra Cohen, McGill University graduate and founder of Ezra Cohen Montreal, is back on the recipe blog with all of the tips and tricks you need for making smooth, creamy, and oh-so-tasty nut butters. So if you’re interested in making your own nut butter at home, read on for the expert advice you’ll want to know first.

The perfect nut butter recipe, just like the perfect crepe batter recipe or the perfect cake recipe, is all about the quality of your ingredients. Nut butters, even ones with added flavors, are actually extremely easy to make you just need to be sure you’re using the best nuts and add-ins you can find. Before we get into a recipe though, let’s go over two of the most common questions we tend to hear regarding homemade nut butters.

What kind of nuts can you use for nut butter?

If you can dream it, you can make it! Pretty much all nuts can be turned into delicious nut butters, from peanuts and hazelnuts to cashews and pistachios. Experiment and see which ones you like best.

Can you use milk or water to make nut butter more creamy?

Skip the milk and water, which can make your nut butter gritty. In fact, skip the oil too, since nuts release their natural oils when they’re ground up. If you want extra creaminess, add a touch of oil at the end, after your butter is completely smooth.

Basic Nut Butter Recipe

(Makes 1/3 cup nut butter)

This recipe uses almonds, but you can sub them out with any nut of your choice. When selecting your nut, just make sure it’s raw—not roasted and/or salted.

What you need:

1 cup of raw almonds
Sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

1. Toast almonds for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Make sure not to burn them—you just want them to get them a bit aromatic. Let them cool completely.
2. Blend toasted almonds in a food processor or high-speed blender until creamy. Times will vary. Once you reach a good consistency, sprinkle in your sea salt.

And that’s it! Once you’re done with step two you can go ahead and add in any extras, such as a touch of vanilla and cinnamon, a squeeze of honey, or even some cumin. Transfer completed nut butter to a mason jar and stick it in the fridge it will last for up to four weeks (if you don’t eat it all before then).