Types of Nut Shells

• The types of nut shells go hand in hand with the types of nuts that exist. Each nut has its own type of shell which differs in color, texture and thickness from the nut shells of other nuts. For example, the shells of almonds are brown and teardrop-shaped, while the shells of pistachios are beige, round and often cracked in half.
  
  

Purpose

• The nut shells protect the kernel of the nut, which is the edible part. Once the nut is grown and ready to eat, the shell is easier to crack. For example, the shells of a walnut are greenish-brown, soft and impossible to crack when the nut is not fully grown, but when it is, they are brown, hard and can be cracked with light to hard pressure.
  
  

Composition

• Nut shells are composed of cellulose. They grow together with the nut, changing in color, texture and thickness as the nut ages. Some nut shells are naturally salty, while others are tasteless. Nut shells are also a source of carbohydrates.
  
  

Reusing Nut Shells

• Typically, you eat the nut and throw out the nut shell. However, nut shells can be reused in a few ways. Ground nut shells can be used as mulch to trouble slugs, or as sawdust for insulating a shed or dog house, or for filling gaps. Old nut shells can be sprinkled over thick ice on a sidewalk or walkway, and they can be used for lining the bottom of potted plants. Most nut shells are used for composting, and some nut shells can be used for cleaning and polishing, or as fillers protecting items during shipment. In arts and crafts, nut shells can be painted, drawn on, drilled through or they can serve as noisemakers when poured into containers, boxes or toilet paper rolls.