Encyclopedia
The
Almond is a small
deciduous tree belonging to the subfamily
Prunoideae of the family
Rosaceae. An
almond is also the
fruit of this tree. It is classified with the
peach in the subgenus
Amygdalus within
Prunus is a genus [i] of tree [i]s and shrub [i]s, including the
plum [i]s, cherries [i] ...
, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell.
The fruit lacks the sweet fleshy outer covering of other members of
Prunus , this being replaced by a leathery coat, called a hull, which contains the edible kernel, commonly called a nut, inside a hard shell. 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 in early spring before the leaves.
Origin and history
The wild form of almond grows in the
Mediterranean region in parts of
Syria,
Lebanon,
Israel and
Jordan. 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 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 , 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 . 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 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
The
pollination of California's almonds is the largest annual
managed pollination event in the world, with close to one million hives 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 producing sweet almonds, and the other 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 . 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 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.
Culinary uses
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 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" .
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 it is mixed with milk and then served hot.
Cultural aspects
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" . 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.
Alledged 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.
source: http://www.areclinic.org/default.asp
Etymology
The word 'almond' comes from Old French
almande or
alemande, late Latin
amandola, derived through a form
amingdola from the Greek
amugdale, 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 French
amande show the true form of the word.
See also
References
External links
