Almonds, nuts, sesame and seeds in the Tayyibat system: which are kept, which are set aside?

Short answer

Of the nuts and seeds that the Tayyibat list names, three are set aside (khabith in Arabic, the word Dr Diaa Al-Awadi uses for what he puts on the set-aside side): almonds, pine nuts and sunflower seeds. Two sesame products are kept: tahini and halva. Straight answers to the most common questions. Almonds: no, set aside. Tahini: yes, kept. Halva: yes, kept. Walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and cashews: the official list of 122 foods does not name them, so this article does not rule on them. Peanuts: they are not on the list either, but the system puts peanuts with the legumes, which are set aside.

The table, product by product

Here is every product of the family, with its status. "Not on the list" means that the list of 122 foods does not name it.

The rest of the system is in the full list of 122 foods.

Almonds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds: the three set aside

These three are set aside in the official list. Almonds are therefore set aside, like pine nuts. The list states no condition that would move any of the three to the kept side. For sunflower, the distinction matters: the seed is set aside, but sunflower oil is kept in the list. The two should not be confused. Do not confuse dried fruit and nuts either. Dates, figs, raisins and prunes are kept, but that says nothing about almonds: the list places them in a different category from fruit. Dried fruit and juices have their own article.

Sesame, tahini and halva

Tahini is kept in the list, with no condition stated. Halva is kept too, also with no condition stated. Sesame seeds are not named in the list. Sesame appears there in two kept forms: tahini (the paste) and halva. In other words, for everything that touches sesame, only these two products are named in the list, and tahini has its own page. Hummus stays set aside, but because of the chickpeas (set aside), not because of the tahini.

Walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts

The official list of 122 foods names neither walnuts, nor pistachios, nor hazelnuts, nor cashews. This article therefore says neither that they are kept nor that they are set aside: it does not rule on them. For each of them, the honest answer is that the list does not say, and it is better to admit that than to invent a rule. Be wary of any claim that presents them as allowed or forbidden without citing the list. Peanuts are a neighbouring case. Absent from the official list, they are put by the system with the legumes (lentils, chickpeas, fava beans), which are set aside. If you want to go further, you can receive the free excerpt of the guide: you leave your email address to get it.

Frequently asked questions

Are almonds allowed in Tayyibat? No, almonds are set aside in the official list, like pine nuts and sunflower seeds. Do tahini and halva pass? Yes, both are kept in the list, with no condition stated. Hummus, on the other hand, stays set aside because of the chickpeas. What about walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts? The system's list does not name them, so this article does not rule on them. Only almonds, pine nuts and sunflower seeds appear in the list, all three set aside.