Is Coconut a Nut?
There’s a lot of confusion around the difference between peanuts and tree nuts. They may look similar, but they’re very different! Peanuts are legumes (edible seeds that grow in pods) and—you guessed it!—tree nuts are hard-shelled nuts that grow on trees. We cover this topic in a previous blog post.
There’s also confusion around the almighty coconut. 🥥 It’s tricky to classify—it’s sweet and eats like a fruit but has a hard outer shell that needs to be cracked open like a nut. It also has the word nut in it.
So—is it a nut? A fruit? A seed? Can you be allergic? Read on to find out!
What is a coconut?
If we’re getting botanical, coconut is actually a fibrous one-seeded dry drupe. A drupe is a fruit with a hard stony outer layer enclosing the seed. The term comes from the word drupa, meaning overripe olive. A coconut, along with all drupes, contains three layers: the exocarp (outer layer), mesocarp (fleshy middle layer), and endocarp (hard, wood-like layer that surrounds the seed).
Are coconuts tree nuts?
After all, “nut” is part of the word! Technically speaking, a nut is defined as a one-seeded fruit. With that loose definition, a coconut COULD be classified as a nut and was listed by the FDA as a tree nut until 2025. However, coconuts lack many of the proteins that people with tree nut allergies are sensitive to, so many people who have tree nut allergies can safely eat coconut without having an allergic reaction (including our CEO!).
On January 6, 2025, the FDA confirmed coconut is no longer considered a tree nut, along with several other “nuts:” shea, pili, palm, hickory, ginkgo, cola/kola, chinquapin, beech, butternut, and chestnut.
The nuts that will continue to be recognized as tree nuts include: almond, walnut, brazil nut, pistachio, pine nut, pecan, macadamia nut, hazelnut, and cashew. Learn more here.
How many people are allergic to coconut?
According to a 2017 study, reports of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated coconut allergy are rare. However, despite the low prevalence of coconut allergy, reactions can be serious—several reported cases have involved anaphylaxis.
Interestingly, the Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology published a study digging into the relationship between sesame, coconut, and nut allergies in children. Researchers found children with a peanut or tree nut allergy were not more likely to be allergic to coconut.
What to do if you’re worried about a possible coconut allergy
It’s important to talk to your doctor/allergist if you have any concerns about a potential coconut allergy. They will be able to advise you on the best course of action.
If you’re worried you have a coconut allergy, it’s good practice to specifically call it out at restaurants and take the same precautionary measures you would with any other food allergy.
Interesting facts about coconuts
We’ll leave you with fun facts about coconuts you may not know—these factoids were new information to us!
Coconuts are called the “Tree of Life” because every bit of the coconut can be used. Coconut trees can produce drinks, fiber, food, fuel, utensils, musical instruments, and more!
The oldest reference to coconut appears from an Egyptian traveler named Cosmas from the 5th century AD. Scholars believe his reference to the “nut of India” was the coconut.
It takes 11 to 12 months for a coconut to mature.
Coconut is a perennial plant that bears fruit continuously 12 to 13 times a year for up to 60 to 70 years. That equates to between 30 and 75 coconuts every year!
When intravenous solution was in short supply during WWII and the Vietnam War, doctors used coconut water as a substitute.
The main coconut-producing countries are the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands.
Do you or someone you know have a coconut allergy? Please share your story in the comments below if so!
— Meg & the Amulet Team
This is an updated version of an article originally posted in February 2020.
This article was written by the Amulet team and reviewed by Amulet advisors Dr. Jordan Scott and Dr. John Lee. Coconut facts are courtesy of the Library of Congress and this journal article.