List of Edible Seeds

A list of edible seeds here includes seeds that are directly foodstuffs, rather than yielding derived products.

A variety of species can provide edible seeds. Of the six major plant parts, seeds are the most important source of human food. The other five major plant parts are roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Most edible seeds are angiosperms, but a few are gymnosperms. The most important seed food source is cereals, followed by legumes, and nuts.

The list is divided into the following categories:

• Beans (or Legumes) are protein-rich soft seeds.
• Cereals (or grains) are grass-like crops that are harvested for their dry seeds. These seeds are often ground to make flour. Cereals provide almost half of all calories consumed in the world. Botanically, true cereals are members of the Poaceae or Grass family.
  • Pseudocereals are cereal crops that are not members of the Poaceae or Grass Family.
• Nuts are botanically a specific type of fruit but the term is also applied to many edible seeds that are not botanically nuts.
  • Gymnosperms produce nut-like seeds but neither flowers nor fruits.