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Shea nut (Vitellaria paradoxa)

Shea nut is the hard, oily seed or kernel inside shea fruit, generally dried or otherwise processed for extracting shea butter or oil.

Shea nut (Vitellaria paradoxa) — illustrative ingredient image

About Shea nut (Vitellaria paradoxa)

The shea nut is the seed inside the fruit of the shea tree. It is a hard, oily seed, generally processed after harvest rather than used as a typical table nut. The nut or its kernel may be dried and prepared for extraction of shea butter or oil.

Processing can involve drying, roasting, crushing, and extraction, producing materials that differ from the intact seed. The term “shea nut” may refer to the whole seed or its kernel, so the exact edible portion and preparation are not always clear from the name alone.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where shea nut (vitellaria paradoxa) appears

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for shea nut (vitellaria paradoxa)

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Shea nut

English

shea nut (raw)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

SHEANUT

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Shea nut (Vitellaria paradoxa) nutrition & diet

Shea nut (Vitellaria paradoxa) nutritional value

Reference: Shea nut, kernel, dried, raw

Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.

Calories
567kcal
Protein
6.8g
Carbs
34.1g
Fat
43.5g

Official national food-composition reference. The displayed food form is part of the estimate; cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.

Intact nuts or kernels differ from extracted shea butter or oil; drying, roasting, and other preparation also affect comparisons.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Table for Western Africa (2019) — 06_016 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .