All nuts have been rehabbed as good-for-you foods, for their healthy fats and micronutrients. A few go a long way, though, as they are calorie bombs. Walnuts' main claim to stardom are their omega-3 fatty acids, which fight heart disease. Other goodies: plant sterols, which lower cholesterol, and a lot of antioxidants.

A delicious crunchy addition to many baked goods, the walnut's pleasant bitterness benefits from toasting before the nut is added to bread dough.

The most overtly nutlike of the various nut descriptors; classic definition for Sherry.