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Almond
Almond tree with ripening fruit. Mallorca, Spain.
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

The Almond AKA Cork Nut (Prunus dulcis, syn. Prunus amygdalus Batsch., Amygdalus communis L., Amygdalus dulcis Mill.) is a species of Prunus belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae; within Prunus, it is classified with the Walnut in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell. An almond is also the seed of this tree. Botanically, the almond is not a nut, despite common usage.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Acap. ... Almond can mean: Almond, a plant and its fruit Various location names. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,728 × 2,304 pixels, file size: 1. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class of flowering plants. ... Families Barbeyaceae Cannabaceae (hemp family) Dirachmaceae Elaeagnaceae Moraceae (mulberry family) Rosaceae (rose family) Rhamnaceae (buckthorn family) Ulmaceae (elm family) Urticaceae (nettle family) For the Philippine municipality, see Rosales, Pangasinan. ... Global distribution of Rosaceae Subfamilies Rosoideae Spiraeoideae Maloideae Amygdaloideae or Prunoideae The Rosaceae or rose family is a large family of plants, with about 3,000-4,000 species in 100-120 genera. ... Genera Prunus Prinsepia Prunoideae, also called Amygdaloideae, is the subfamily containing the genera Prunus and Prinsepia. ... Species Prunus alabamensis Prunus alleghaniensis Prunus americana Prunus andersonii Prunus angustifolia Prunus armeniaca Prunus avium Prunus caroliniana Prunus cerasifera Prunus cerasus Prunus domestica Prunus dulcis Prunus emarginata Prunus fasciculata Prunus fremontii Prunus fruticosa Prunus geniculata Prunus glandulosa Prunus gracilis Prunus grayana Prunus havardii Prunus hortulana Prunus ilicifolia Prunus japonica Prunus... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Philip Miller (1691 - December 18, 1771) was a botanist of Scottish descent. ... Lactose is a disaccharide found in milk. ... Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the digestive system, absorbing water and making defecation easier. ... In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid often with a long unbranched aliphatic tail (chain), which is either saturated or unsaturated. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin showing coloured alpha helices. ... Thiamine mononitrate Thiamine or thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, is a colorless compound with chemical formula C12H17ClN4OS. It is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol. ... Riboflavin (E101), also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in animals. ... Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH, NAD, NAD+, and NADP play essential roles in energy metabolism in the living cell and DNA repair. ... Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5 (a B vitamin), is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain life (essential nutrient). ... Pyridoxine Pyridoxal phosphate Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin. ... Folic acid (the anion form is called folate) is a B-complex vitamin (once called vitamin M) that is important in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) in the developing human fetus. ... This article is about the nutrient. ... For other uses, see Calcium (disambiguation). ... General Name, symbol, number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Standard atomic weight 55. ... Introduction Magnesium is an essential element in biological systems. ... General Name, symbol, number phosphorus, P, 15 Chemical series nonmetals Group, period, block 15, 3, p Appearance waxy white/ red/ black/ colorless Standard atomic weight 30. ... General Name, symbol, number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, period, block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight 39. ... General Name, symbol, number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Standard atomic weight 65. ... Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient considered sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all (97–98%) healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group. ... In scientific classification, synonymy is the existence of multiple systematic names to label the same organism. ... Species Prunus alabamensis Prunus alleghaniensis Prunus americana Prunus andersonii Prunus angustifolia Prunus armeniaca Prunus avium Prunus caroliniana Prunus cerasifera Prunus cerasus Prunus domestica Prunus dulcis Prunus emarginata Prunus fasciculata Prunus fremontii Prunus fruticosa Prunus geniculata Prunus glandulosa Prunus gracilis Prunus grayana Prunus havardii Prunus hortulana Prunus ilicifolia Prunus japonica Prunus... Genera Prunus Prinsepia Prunoideae, also called Amygdaloideae, is the subfamily containing the genera Prunus and Prinsepia. ... Global distribution of Rosaceae Subfamilies Rosoideae Spiraeoideae Maloideae Amygdaloideae or Prunoideae The Rosaceae or rose family is a large family of plants, with about 3,000-4,000 species in 100-120 genera. ... For other uses, see Walnut (disambiguation). ... A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nut (disambiguation). ...

Description

The almond is native to Iran, from northwestern Saudi Arabia, north through western Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, western Syria, to southern Turkey.^[1] It is a small deciduous tree, growing to between 4 and 10 metres in height, with a trunk of up to 30 centimetres in diameter. The young shoots are green at first, becoming purplish^[vague] where exposed to sunlight, then grey in their second year. The leaves cm long and 1.2–4 cm broad, with a serrated margin and a 2.5 cm petiole. The flowers are white or pale pink, 3–5 cm diameter with five petals, produced singly or in pairs before the leaves in early spring.^[2][3] For other uses, see Deciduous (disambiguation). ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Look up foliage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Flower (disambiguation). ...

The fruit is a drupe 3.5–6 cm long, with a downy outer coat. The outer covering or exocarp, fleshy in other members of Prunus such as the plum and cherry, is reduced^[vague] to a leathery grey-green coat called the hull, which contains inside a hard shell the edible kernel, commonly called a nut in culinary terms. Generally, one kernel is present, but occasionally two. However, in botanical terms, an almond is not a true nut. In botanical parlance, the reticulated hard stony shell is called an endocarp. It is mature in the autumn, 7–8 months after flowering.^[2][3] For other uses, see Fruit (disambiguation). ... The peach is a typical drupe (stone fruit) In botany, a drupe is a type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp or skin and mesocarp or flesh) surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. ... Exocarp or pericarp (Gr. ... Species See text. ... For other uses, see Cherry (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nut (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nut (disambiguation). ... Endocarp is the hard inner layer of the pericarp of some fruits that contains the seed. ...

Origin and history

The wild form of domesticated almond grows in parts of the Levant; almonds must first have been taken into cultivation in this region. The fruit of the wild forms contains the glycoside amygdalin, "which becomes transformed into deadly prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) after crushing, chewing, or any other injury to the seed"^[4] Before cultivation and domestication occurred, wild almonds were harvested as food and doubtless were processed by leaching or roasting to remove their toxicity.^{[citation needed]} The Levant The Levant (IPA: ) is an imprecise geographical term historically referring to a large area in the Middle East south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and by the northern Arabian Desert and Upper Mesopotamia to the east. ... A glycoside is a molecule where a sugar group is bonded through its anomeric carbon to a nonsugar group by either an oxygen or a nitrogen atom. ... Chemical structure of Amygdalin Amygdalin (from Greek: , almond), C20H27NO11, is a glycoside isolated from bitter almonds by H. E. Robiquet and A. F. Boutron-Charlard in 1830, and subsequently investigated by Liebig and Wöhler, and others. ... R-phrases , , , , . S-phrases , , , , , , , , . Flash point −17. ...

Unripe almond on tree

However, domesticated almonds are not toxic; Jared Diamond argues that a common genetic mutation causes an absence of glycoside amygdalin, and this mutant was grown by early farmers, "at first unintentionally in the garbage heaps and later intentionally in their orchards".^{[attribution needed][5]} Zohary and Hopf believe that almonds were one of the earliest domesticated fruit-trees due to "the ability of the grower to raise attractive almonds from seed. Thus, in spite of the fact^{[citation needed]} that this plant does not lend itself to propagation from suckers or from cuttings, it could have been^[vague] domesticated even before the introduction of grafting"^{[attribution needed]}.^[4] 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.^[4] The domesticated form can ripen fruit as far north as Great Britain. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 167 KB) Unripe Almond on tree File links The following pages link to this file: Almond ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 167 KB) Unripe Almond on tree File links The following pages link to this file: Almond ... Jared Mason Diamond (b. ... Grafted apple tree Malus sp. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast bronze. ... King Tut redirects here. ...

Almond is called Lawz in Arabic and Baadaam in Persian, Urdu, Turkish, and Hindi.^{[citation needed]} Bitter almonds look like normal almonds Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Farsi redirects here. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... This is the disambiguation page for the terms Turk, Turkey, Turkic, and Turkish. ... Hindi (DevanāgarÄ«: or , IAST: , IPA:  ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the 22 official languages of India and is used, along with English, for central government administrative purposes. ...

Production

Almond output in 2005

Global production of almonds is around 1.7 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.^[6] According to the FAO, world production of almonds was 1.76 million tonnes in 2006. Major producers are the USA (715623 t, 41%), Spain (220000 t, 13%), Syria (119648 t, 7%), Italy (112796 t, 6%), Iran (108677 t, 6%) and Morocco (83000 t, 5%). Algeria, Tunisia and Greece each account for 3%, Turkey, Lebanon and China each account for 2%.^[7] In Turkey, most of the production comes from the Datca peninsula. 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. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 × 625 pixel, file size: 58 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of almond output in 2005 as a percentage of the top producer (USA - 715,620 tonnes). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 × 625 pixel, file size: 58 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of almond output in 2005 as a percentage of the top producer (USA - 715,620 tonnes). ... FAO redirects here. ... Datca is a seaport on the Mediterranean Sea in Turkey. ... Location of Málaga Municipality Government  - Mayor Francisco de la Torre Prados Area  - Total 385. ... Location Coordinates : 39°29′ N 0°22′ W Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name València (Catalan) Spanish name Valencia Founded 137 BC Postal code 46000-46080 Website http://www. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

An almond shaker before and during a harvest of a tree

Because of cases of Salmonella traced to almonds in 2001 and 2004, in 2006 the California Almond Board proposed and the USDA approved rules regarding the nature of almonds available to the public. From 1 September 2007, raw almonds will technically no longer be available in the United States. Controversially, almonds labeled as "raw" will be required to be steam pasteurised or chemically treated with propylene oxide.^[8] Species S. enterica This article is about the bacteria. ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture, also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA, is a Cabinet department of the United States Federal Government. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Flash point −37 °C Autoignition temperature 747 °C Explosive limits 2. ...

Diseases

Main article: List of almond diseases

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (February 2008)

This article is a list of diseases of almonds (Prunus dulcis). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

Pollination

An Almond orchard in central California

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. Pollination demand is high enough in the Californian Central Valley that bees may be imported from Australia for the February almond bloom.^[9] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2576 × 1932 pixel, file size: 972 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2576 × 1932 pixel, file size: 972 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Carpenter bee with pollen collected from Night-blooming cereus Pollination is an important step in the reproduction of seed plants: the transfer of pollen grains (male gametes) to the plant carpel, the structure that contains the ovule (female gamete). ... Pollination Management is the label for horticultural practices that accomplish or enhance pollination of a crop, to improve yield or quality, by understanding of the particular crops pollination needs, and by knowledgeable management of pollenizers, pollinators, and pollination conditions. ... Domesticated Western honey bees are kept in beehives. ... A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen; pollinating fruits and vegetables; raising queens and bees for sale to other farmers; and/or for purposes satisfying natural scientific curiosity. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about Californias Central Valley. ...

Sweet and bitter almonds

Flowering branch of an almond tree

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. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1167x875, 705 KB) Summary Almond blossoms - an almond tree branch in bloom (picture taken by Michael Favor, in Chico California, February 2002) Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Almond ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1167x875, 705 KB) Summary Almond blossoms - an almond tree branch in bloom (picture taken by Michael Favor, in Chico California, February 2002) Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Almond ... Look up Sweet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Human taste sensory organs, called taste buds or gustatory calyculi, and concentrated on the upper surface of the tongue, appear to be receptive to relatively few chemical species as tastes. ... Alternative medicine has been described as any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as chiropractic, homeopathy, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the United States and Britain.[1] Alternative medicine practices are often based in belief systems not derived from modern science. ... Carrier oil, also known as base oil or vegetable oil, is used to dilute essential oils and absolutes before they are applied to the skin. ... It has been suggested that Aromatherapy Candles be merged into this article or section. ...

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, which is nearly pure benzaldehyde. Bitter almonds may yield from 6 to 8% of 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 cyanide must be removed before consumption.^[10] It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Solution. ... A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. ... Chemical structure of Amygdalin Amygdalin (from Greek: , almond), C20H27NO11, is a glycoside isolated from bitter almonds by H. E. Robiquet and A. F. Boutron-Charlard in 1830, and subsequently investigated by Liebig and Wöhler, and others. ... Glucose (Glc), a monosaccharide (or simple sugar), is an important carbohydrate in biology. ... This article is about the chemical compound. ... An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aromatic compounds from plants. ... Benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO) is a chemical compound consisting of a benzene ring with an aldehyde substituent. ... R-phrases , , , , . S-phrases , , , , , , , , . Flash point −17. ...

Culinary uses

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Raw almonds

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 making baklava and nougat. There is also almond butter, a spread similar to peanut butter, popular with peanut allergy sufferers and for its less salty taste. The young, developing fruit of the almond tree can also be eaten as a whole ("green almonds"), when it is still green and fleshy on the outside, and the inner shell has not yet hardened. The fruit is somewhat sour, and is available only from mid April to mid June; pickling or brining extends the fruit's shelf life. A popular snack in parts of the Middle East, they're eaten dipped in salt to balance the sour taste. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (1194 × 797 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (1194 × 797 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (879x668, 86 KB) Source: Self Copyright: None I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (879x668, 86 KB) Source: Self Copyright: None I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Baklava is prepared on large trays and cut into a variety of shapes Baklava or Baklawa is a rich, sweet pastry featured in many cuisines of the former Ottoman countries. ... Nougat is a term used to describe a variety of similar confectioneries made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts are common, but not peanuts) and sometimes chopped candied fruit. ... This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ... Peanut butter in a jar. ... Allergy is an abnormal reaction to a substance foreign to the body that is acquired, predictable and rapid. ...

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. Carbohydrates (literally hydrates of carbon) are chemical compounds that act as the primary biological means of storing or consuming energy, other forms being fat and protein. ... For the disease characterized by excretion of large amounts of very dilute urine, see diabetes insipidus. ...

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. Dietary fibers are long-chain carbohydrates (polysaccharides) that are indigestible by the human digestive tract. ...

In Greece, ground blanched almonds are used as the base material in a great variety of desserts, usually called amygdalota (αμυγδαλωτά). Because of their white colour, most are traditionally considered "wedding sweets" and are served at wedding banquets.

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 people, 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). Raw almonds Almond milk is a milky drink made from ground almonds. ... Lactose intolerance is the name given to the condition (found in the majority of humans) in which lactase, an enzyme needed for proper metabolization of lactose, is not produced in adulthood. ... This article is about the dietary lifestyle, Vegan can also mean relating to vega, especially the star Vega, as in astronomical references to the Vegan system, or Science Fiction references to aliens from that system. ... Soy milk or soya milk (Chinese: 豆浆 or 豆奶, Japanese:豆乳) is the liquid extraction processed from soy beans after soaking, grinding, cooking and straining. ... This article is about raw food consumption by humans. ...

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.^[11] They are also rich in monounsaturated fat, one of the two "good" fats responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol. Fruit shapes molded from marzipan Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and ground almonds. ... Nougat is a term used to describe a variety of similar confectioneries made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts are common, but not peanuts) and sometimes chopped candied fruit. ... A macaroon is a flourless cookie made from ground nuts such as almond or coconut and leavened with egg whites. ... Tocopherol, or Vitamin E, is a fat-soluble vitamin in eight forms that is an important antioxidant. ... For discussion how dietary fats affect cardiovascular health, see Diet and heart disease. ... Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) refers to a class and range of lipoprotein particles, varying somewhat in their size and contents, which carry cholesterol in the blood and around the body, for use by various cells. ...

The Marcona variety of almond, which is shorter, rounder, sweeter, and more delicate in texture than other varieties, originated in Spain and is becoming popular in North America and other parts of the world.^[12] Marcona almonds are traditionally served after being lightly fried in oil, and are also used by Spanish chefs to prepare a dessert called turrón. Torró dAlacant Turrón (Spanish), torró (Catalan), or torrone (Italian) is a nougat confection, typically made of honey, sugar, and egg white, coated in crushed, toasted almonds, and usually shaped into either a rectangular tablet or a round cake. ...

In China, almonds are used in a popular dessert when they are mixed with milk and then served hot. In Indian cuisine, almonds are the base ingredient for pasanda-style curries. Not to be confused with Native American cuisine. ... Pasanda is a popular North Indian meat dish, derived from a meal served in the Court of the Moghul Emperors. ... This article is about the dish. ...

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. Grain alcohol redirects here. ... R-phrases , , , S-phrases , Flash point Non-flammable U.S. Permissible exposure limit (PEL) 50 ppm (240 mg/m3) (OSHA) Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... This article is about the chemical compound. ... For the Popeye character, see Olive Oyl. ...

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. A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... A Massage therapist is a Health practitioner who uses a combination of therapeutic techniques in order to stimulate and enhance the life of another person. ... Emollients soften skin (and moisturisers add moisture). ...

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil

Pressed from the edible nut kernels, sweet almond oil is an excellent skin-softening oil used for centuries. It is a mild, lightweight oil, rich in unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids which is easily absorbed into the skin. Used to make many WALA Oil Extracts of healing plants.

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. A. Two immiscible liquids, not emulsified; B. An emulsion of Phase II dispersed in Phase I; C. The unstable emulsion progressively separates; D. The surfactant (purple outline) positions itself on the interfaces between Phase A and Phase B, stabilizing the emulsion An emulsion is a mixture of two immiscible (unblendable... Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar and rose water/orange-flower water. ... This article is about sugar as food and as an important and widely-traded commodity. ...

The Grocer's Encyclopedia (1911) 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. The Grocers Encyclopedia (New York, 1911) is a book about the growing, preparation, and marketing of foods written by Artemas Ward. ... This article is about the chemical compound. ...

Possible health benefits

Edgar Cayce, a man regarded as the father of American holistic medicine, also highly favoured the almond. In his readings, Cayce often recommended that almonds be included in the diet. Claimed health benefits include improved complexion, improved movement of food through the colon and the prevention of cancer.^[13] Recent research associates inclusion of almonds in the diet with elevating the blood levels of high density lipoproteins and of lowering the levels of low density lipoproteins.^[14][15] Edgar Cayce (March 18, 1877 – January 3, 1945) (pronounced or like Casey) was an American who claimed psychic abilities. ... Holistic health is a philosophy which promotes wholeness over the reductionism and dualism of conventional Western medicine. ... In nutrition, the diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. ... Complexion describes ones physical appearance. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Large intestine. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... High-density lipoproteins (HDL) form a class of lipoproteins, varying somewhat in their size (8–11 nm in diameter), that carry cholesterol from the bodys tissues to the liver. ... Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) belongs to the lipoprotein particle family. ...

A controlled trial showed that 73g of almonds in the daily diet reduced LDL cholesterol by as much as 9.4%, reduced the LDL:HDL ratio by 12.0%, and increased HDL-cholesterol (i.e., the good cholesterol) by 4.6%.^[16][17]

In Ayurveda, an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent, almond is considered a nutritive for brain and nervous system. It is said to induce high intellectual level and longevity. Almond oil is called Roghan Badam in both Ayurveda and Unani Tibb (the Greco-Persian System of Medicine). It is extracted by cold process and is considered a nutritive aphrodisiac both for massage and internal consumption. Recent studies have shown that the constituents of almond have anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.^[18] Ayurveda (Devanagari: ) or Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent. ... Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ...

Cultural aspects

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Almond flowers

Almond tree in Spain.

The almond is highly revered in some cultures. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (886x658, 374 KB) Summary Almond blossoms, closeup (picture by Michael Favor, Chico California, February 2002) Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (886x658, 374 KB) Summary Almond blossoms, closeup (picture by Michael Favor, Chico California, February 2002) Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (960 × 1280 pixel, file size: 601 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Prunus amygdalus Basch (almendro) Foto digital realizada por Nicolás Pérez en marzo de 2002. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (960 × 1280 pixel, file size: 601 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Prunus amygdalus Basch (almendro) Foto digital realizada por Nicolás Pérez en marzo de 2002. ...

The tree grows in Syria and Palestine, and is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. The Hebrew name, שָׁקֵד "shaked", means industrious or vigilant, which is appropriate, as the almond is one of the first trees to flower in Israel, usually in early February, coinciding with Tu Bishvat, the Jewish arbor day. A 2003 satellite image of the region. ...

In ancient Israel, the almond was a symbol of watchfulness and promise due to its early flowering, symbolizing God's sudden and rapid punishment of His people; in Jeremiah 1:11-12, for instance. In the Bible the almond is mentioned ten times, beginning with Book of 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 Aaron's rod, which 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. For other uses, see Jeremiah (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ... Genesis (Greek: Γένεσις, having the meanings of birth, creation, cause, beginning, source and origin) is the first book of the Torah (five books of Moses) and hence the first book of the Tanakh, part of the Hebrew Bible; it is also the first book of the Christian Old Testament. ... The Book of Numbers is the fourth of the books of the Pentateuch, called in the Hebrew ba-midbar במדבר, i. ... This article discusses the Biblical patriarch. ... In botany and horticulture, the popular name given to various tall flowering plants : Common mullein or great mullein (Verbascum thapsus), a biennal medicinal herb used in Amerindian medicine as a tonic for lung problems, such as cough, asthma or bronchitis; Snapdragon or Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae)(other common names: shepherds... The Temple in Jerusalem or the Holy Temple (Hebrew: בית המקדש, transliterated Bet HaMikdash) was built in ancient Jerusalem in the 10th century BCE and was subsequently rebuilt twice, after the Babylonian Captivity and during Herod the Greats renovation. ... This article is about the second book in the Torah. ... For the biological phenomenon of female-only reproduction, see Parthenogenesis. ... Jacopo Bellinis Madonna and Child Blessing depicts the infant Jesus in the act of blessing the viewer The Child Jesus, or Christ Child is Jesus as an infant up to the age of twelve, when he was considered to have become adult, following both the Jewish custom of his... Saint Mary and Saint Mary the Virgin both redirect here. ...

The word "Luz", which appears in Genesis 30:37, is usually translated as "hazel", but some believe it is another name for the almond (Luz in Arabic means Almonds). In India, consumption of almonds is believed to be good for the brain, while the Chinese consider it a symbol of enduring sadness and female beauty. For other uses, see Luz (disambiguation). ... Genesis (Greek: Γένεσις, having the meanings of birth, creation, cause, beginning, source and origin) is the first book of the Torah (five books of Moses) and hence the first book of the Tanakh, part of the Hebrew Bible; it is also the first book of the Christian Old Testament. ... This article is about the tree; for other meanings of hazel, see Hazel (disambiguation). ...

Etymology

This section is missing citations or needs footnotes. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (February 2008)

The word "almond" comes from Old French almande or alemande, late Latin amandola, derived through a form amingdola from the Greek αμυγδαλη (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 ah-mond and the modern Catalan ametlla and modern French amande show a form of the word closer to the original. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Look up Amygdala in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

See also

• Almond milk, a milky drink made from ground almonds, similar to soy milk
• Almond Biscuit
• Almond Joy, a candy bar
• Fruit trees
• Fruit tree forms
• Fruit tree propagation
• List of edible seeds
• Marzipan
• Nougat
• Pruning fruit trees
• Turrón, a nougat-like Spanish dessert made from almonds
• History and Tradition of Jordan Almonds

Raw almonds Almond milk is a milky drink made from ground almonds. ... Almond biscuit (also called almond cake or almond cookie) is a type of Chinese pastry. ... Miniature Almond Joy in wrapper Miniature Almond Joy Inside a Miniature Almond Joy An Almond Joy is a small candy bar manufactured by Hersheys. ... A Twix bar, broken in half Candy bar is the most popular term in the U.S. for confectionery usually packaged in a bar or log form, often coated with chocolate, and sized as a snack for one person. ... A fruit tree is a tree bearing fruit — the structures formed by the ripened ovary of a flower containing one or more seeds. ... Fruit Tree Forms The shapes of most fruit trees can be manipulated by pruning and training in order to increase yield, or to improve their suitability for different situations and conditions. ... Fruit tree propagation is usually carried out through asexual reproduction by grafting or budding the desired variety onto a suitable rootstock. ... A variety of species can provide edible seeds: Almonds Amaranthus Beans/Legumes, including Chickpeas Broad beans Lentils Peas Peanuts Phaseolus beans Soybeans Sweet peas (Lathyrus) Cocoa Carob tree Cereals, including Barley Buckwheat Kamut Maize Oats Rice Rye Sorghum Spelt Triticale Teff Wild rice Wheat Coconuts Common Hazel Coriander Ginkgo Monkey... Fruit shapes molded from marzipan Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and ground almonds. ... Nougat is a term used to describe a variety of similar confectioneries made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts are common, but not peanuts) and sometimes chopped candied fruit. ... Pruning is a technique that is employed by gardeners in order to control growth, remove dead or diseased wood or stimulate the formation of flowers and fruit buds. ... Torró dAlacant Turrón (Spanish), torró (Catalan), or torrone (Italian) is a nougat confection, typically made of honey, sugar, and egg white, coated in crushed, toasted almonds, and usually shaped into either a rectangular tablet or a round cake. ...

References

Jared Mason Diamond (b. ... A mental_floss cover mental_floss is a bi-monthly American magazine that presents facts and trivia in a humorous way. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Prunus dulcis dulcis

• The almond, known as the king of nuts among dry fruits, is a highly nutritious food. Almond growing has gained popularity in India
• The Almond Board of California
• The Almond Board of California - fact sheet
• "Almonds Are In" Health and Nutrition site (The Almond Board of California)
• "More Facts and History"
• Photo gallery - The Almond Tree And Its Beautiful Blossom