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Almond

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Food and agriculture;
Plants

                    iAlmond
   Almond flowers
   Almond flowers
           Scientific classification

   Kingdom:   Plantae
   Division:  Magnoliophyta
   Class:     Magnoliopsida
   Order:     Rosales
   Family:    Rosaceae
   Subfamily: Prunoideae
   Genus:     Prunus
   Subgenus:  Amygdalus
   Species:   P. dulcis

                                Binomial name

   Prunus dulcis
   ( Mill.) D. A. Webb
              Sweet almonds
   Nutritional value per 100 g
        Energy 580 kcal   2420 kJ

   Carbohydrates                  20 g
   - Dietary fibre  12 g
   Fat                            51 g
   - saturated  4 g
   - monounsaturated  32 g
   - polyunsaturated  12 g
   Protein                        21 g
   Riboflavin (Vit. B2)  0.8 mg   53%
     Percentages are relative to US
   recommendations for adults.

   The Almond (Prunus dulcis, syn. Prunus amygdalus, or Amygdalus
   communis) is a small deciduous tree belonging to the subfamily
   Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae; an almond is also the fruit of this
   tree. The plant is classified with the peach in the subgenus Amygdalus
   within Prunus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated
   seed shell.

   The sweet fleshy outer covering of other members of Prunus, such as the
   plum and cherry, is replaced by a leathery coat called the hull, which
   contains inside a hard shell the edible kernel, commonly called a nut.
   In botanical parlance, the reticulated hard stony shell is called an
   endocarp, and the fruit, or exocarp, is a drupe, having a downy outer
   coat.

   The tree is a native of southwest Asia. The domesticated form can ripen
   fruit as far north as the British Isles. It is a small tree, growing to
   4-9 m tall. The leaves are lanceolate, 6-12 cm long, and serrated at
   the edges. The flowers are white or pale pink, 3-5 cm diameter with
   five petals, produced before the leaves in early spring.

Origin and history

   The wild form of domesticated almond grows in the Mediterranean region
   in parts of the Levant. Almonds must first have been taken into
   cultivation in this region. Before cultivation and domestication
   occurred, wild almonds were harvested as food and doubtless were
   processed by leaching or roasting to remove their toxicity.
   Domesticated almonds appear in the Early Bronze Age (3000–2000 BC) of
   the Near East, or possibly a little earlier. A well-known
   archaeological example of almond is the fruits found in Tutankhamun's
   tomb in Egypt (c. 1325 BC), probably imported from the Levant.

Production

   Global production of almonds is around 1.5 million tonnes, with a low
   of 1 million tonnes in 1995 and a peak of 1.85 million tonnes in 2002
   according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) figures (pdf
   file). Major producers include Greece, Iran, Italy, Morocco, Portugal,
   Spain, Syria, Turkey, and the world's largest producer, the United
   States. In Spain, numerous commercial cultivars of sweet almond are
   produced, most notably the Jordan almond (imported from Málaga) and the
   Valencia almond. In the United States, production is concentrated in
   California, with almonds being California's sixth leading agricultural
   product and its top agricultural export. California exported almonds
   valued at 1.08 billion dollars in 2003, about 70% of total California
   almond crop.

Pollination

   Unripe almond on tree
   Enlarge
   Unripe almond on tree

   The pollination of California's almonds is the largest annual managed
   pollination event in the world, with close to one million hives (nearly
   half of all beehives in the USA) being trucked in February to the
   almond groves. Much of the pollination is managed by pollination
   brokers, who contract with migratory beekeepers from at least 38 states
   for the event.

Sweet and bitter almonds

   There are two forms of the plant, one (often with white flowers)
   producing sweet almonds, and the other (often with pink flowers)
   producing bitter almonds. The kernel of the former contains a fixed oil
   and emulsion. As late as the early 20th century the oil was used
   internally in medicine, with the stipulation that it must not be
   adulterated with that of the bitter almond; it remains fairly popular
   in alternative medicine, particularly as a carrier oil in aromatherapy,
   but has fallen out of prescription among doctors.

   The bitter almond is rather broader and shorter than the sweet almond,
   and contains about 50% of the fixed oil which also occurs in sweet
   almonds. It also contains the enzyme emulsin which, in the presence of
   water, acts on a soluble glucoside, amygdalin, yielding glucose,
   cyanide and the essential oil of bitter almonds or benzaldehyde. Bitter
   almonds may yield from 6 to 8% of prussic acid (also known as hydrogen
   cyanide). Extract of bitter almond was once used medicinally but even
   in small doses effects are severe and in larger doses can be deadly;
   the prussic acid must be removed before consumption.

   The nut of the tree has also been used as a preventative for alcohol
   intoxication. Folklore claims that almonds are poisonous for foxes.

Almond oil

   "Oleum Amygdalae", the fixed oil, is prepared from either variety of
   almond and is a glyceryl oleate, with a slight odour and a nutty taste.
   It is almost insoluble in alcohol but readily soluble in chloroform or
   ether. It may be used as a substitute for olive oil.

   The sweet almond oil is obtained from the dried kernel of the plant.
   This oil has been traditionally used by massage therapists to lubricate
   the skin during a massage session, being considered by many to be an
   effective emollient.

Almond syrup

   Historically, almond syrup was an emulsion of sweet and bitter almonds
   usually made with barley syrup ( orgeat syrup) or in a syrup of
   orange-flower water and sugar.

   Grocer's Encyclopedia notes that "Ten parts of sweet almonds are
   generally employed to three parts of bitter almonds", however due to
   the cyanide found in bitter almonds, modern syrups generally consist of
   only sweet almonds. This article incorporates text from the public
   domain 1911 edition of The Grocer's Encyclopedia.

Culinary uses

   Almonds (in the shell and out of it)
   Enlarge
   Almonds (in the shell and out of it)
   Smoked and salted almonds
   Enlarge
   Smoked and salted almonds

   While the almond is most often eaten on its own, raw or toasted, it is
   used in some dishes. It, along with other nuts, is often sprinkled over
   desserts, particularly sundaes and other ice cream based dishes. It is
   also used in Baklava. There is also almond butter, a spread similar to
   peanut butter, popular with peanut allergy sufferers and for its less
   salty taste.

   The sweet almond itself contains practically no carbohydrates and may
   therefore be made into flour for cakes and biscuits for low
   carbohydrate diets or for patients suffering from diabetes mellitus or
   any other form of glycosuria. A standard serving of almond flour,
   1 cup, contains 20 grammes of carbohydrates, of which 10 g is dietary
   fibre, for a net of 10 g of carbohydrate per cup. This makes almond
   flour very desirable for use in cake and bread recipes by people on
   carbohydrate-restricted diets.

   Almonds can be processed into a milk substitute simply called almond
   milk; the nut's soft texture, mild flavour, and light colouring (when
   skinned) make for an efficient analog to dairy, and a soy-free choice,
   for lactose intolerant persons, vegans, and so on. Raw, blanched, and
   lightly toasted almonds all work well for different production
   techniques, some of which are very similar to that of soymilk and some
   of which actually use no heat, resulting in "raw milk" (see raw
   foodism).

   Almond extract is also a popular substitute for vanilla extract among
   people with diabetes. Sweet almonds are used in marzipan, nougat, and
   macaroons, as well as other desserts. Almonds are a rich source of
   Vitamin E, containing 24 mg per 100 g. They are also rich in
   monounsaturated fat, one of the two "good" fats responsible for
   lowering LDL cholesterol.

   In China, almonds are used in a popular dessert when they are mixed
   with milk and then served hot.

Cultural aspects

   Almond flowers
   Enlarge
   Almond flowers

   The almond is highly revered in some cultures.

   The tree grows in Syria and Israel, and is referred to in the Bible
   under the name of "Shaked", meaning "hasten". In Israel the tree
   flowers in January. The application of "Shaked" or "hasten" to the
   almond is similar to the use of the name "May" for the hawthorn, which
   usually flowers in that month in Britain. Among the Hebrews it was a
   symbol of watchfulness and promise due to its early flowering,
   symbolizing God's sudden and rapid redemption of His people after a
   period when he seems to have abandoned them; in Jeremiah 1:11-12, for
   instance. In the Bible the almond is mentioned ten times, beginning
   with Genesis 43:11, where it is described as "among the best of
   fruits". In Numbers 17 Levi is chosen from the other tribes of Israel
   by a rod that brought forth almond flowers. According to tradition, the
   rod of Aaron bore sweet almonds on one side and bitter on the other; if
   the Israelites followed the Lord, the sweet almonds would be ripe and
   edible, but if they were to forsake the path of the Lord, the bitter
   almonds would predominate. The almond blossom supplied a model for the
   menorah which stood in the Holy Temple, "Three cups, shaped like almond
   blossoms, were on one branch, with a knob and a flower; and three cups,
   shaped like almond blossoms, were on the other...on the candlestick
   itself were four cups, shaped like almond blossoms, with its knobs and
   flowers" ( Exodus 25:33-34; 37:19-20). Similarly, Christian symbolism
   often uses almond branches as a symbol of the Virgin Birth of Jesus;
   paintings often include almonds encircling the baby Jesus and as a
   symbol of Mary.

   The word "Luz", which occurs in Genesis 30:37, and which some
   translations have as " hazel", is supposed to be another name for the
   almond. In India, consumption of almonds is considered to be good for
   the brain, while the Chinese consider it a symbol of enduring sadness
   and female beauty.

Alleged health benefits

   Edgar Cayce, a man regarded as the father of American holistic
   medicine, also highly favored the almond. In his readings, Cayce often
   recommended that almonds be included in the diet. Sometimes the
   consumption of almonds was portrayed as a key therapeutic agent, used
   to improve the complexion, improve eliminations through the colon, and
   even to prevent cancer . Recent research further associates almonds in
   lowering the blood presence of HDLs (high-density lipoproteins) and
   LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) equally with the statin drug line .

Etymology

   The word 'almond' comes from Old French almande or alemande, late Latin
   amandola, derived through a form amingdola from the Greek amugdale (cf
   Amygdala), an almond. The al- for a- may be due to a confusion with the
   Arabic article al, the word having first dropped the a- as in the
   Italian form mandorla; the British pronunciation ar-mond and the modern
   Catalan ametlla and modern French amande show the true form of the
   word.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
