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14-September-2008 18:38:38 - Almond February 2008 This article needs copy ing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by ing it now. A how-to guide is available. February 2008 For other uses, see Almond disambiguation. Almond Almond tree with ripening fruit. Majorca, Spain. Almond tree with ripening fruit. Majorca, 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 Almond, nut, raw Nutritional value per 100 g 3.5 oz Energy 580 kcal 2420 kJ Carbohydrates 20 g - Sugars 5 g - Dietary fibre 12 g Fat 51 g - saturated 4 g - monounsaturated 32 g - polyunsaturated 12 g Protein 22 g Thiamin Vit. B1 0.24 mg 18% Riboflavin Vit. B2 0.8 mg 53% Niacin Vit. B3 4 mg 27% Pantothenic acid B5 0.3 mg 6% Vitamin B6 0.13 mg 10% Folate Vit. B9 29 μg 7% Vitamin C 0.0 mg 0% Calcium 248 mg 25% Iron 4 mg 32% Magnesium 275 mg 74% Phosphorus 474 mg 68% Potassium 728 mg 15% Zinc 3 mg 30% Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database The Almond 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 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 seed or fruit is not a true nut, but a drupe.1 Contents 1 Description 2 Origin and history 3 Production 4 Diseases 5 Pollination 6 Sweet and bitter almonds 7 Culinary uses 7.1 Almond oil 7.2 Almond syrup 8 Possible health benefits 9 Cultural aspects 10 Etymology 11 See also 12 References 13 External links Description The almond is native to Iran, from northwestern Saudi Arabia, north through western Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, western Syria, to southern Turkey.2 It is a small deciduous tree, growing to between 4 and 10 meters in height, with a trunk of up to 30 centimeters in diameter. The young shoots are green at first, becoming purplishvague where exposed to sunlight, then grey in their second year. The leaves are 1 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.34 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 instead a leathery grey-green coating called the hull, which contains inside a hard shell, and the edible seed, commonly called a nut in culinary terms. Generally, one seed is present, but occasionally there are two. In botanical terms, an almond is not a true nut. The reticulated hard woody shell like the outside of a peach pit surrounding the edible seed is called the endocarp. The fruit is mature in the autumn, 7-8 months after flowering.34 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.5 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 Unripe almond on tree 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.6 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 that this plant does not lend itself to propagation from suckers or from cuttings, it could have been domesticated even before the introduction of grafting.5 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.5 The domesticated form can be found as far north as Iceland7 although the official distribution of the plant in Europe shows the most northerly country to be Germany.8 Almond is called Lawz in Arabic and Baadaam in Hindi , Gujarati, Turkish, Urdu, and Persian.citation needed Production Almond output in 2005 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.9 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%.10 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. An almond shaker before and during a harvest of a tree An almond shaker before and during a harvest of a tree 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 Pollination An Almond orchard in central California 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.11 Sweet and bitter almonds This section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of the article are generally not sufficient for a article. Please include more appropriate citations from reliable sources, or discuss the issue on the talk page. July 2008 Flowering almond tree Flowering 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. 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 4-9mg of hydrogen cyanide per almond.1213 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.14 Culinary uses This section needs additional citations for verification. February 2008 Raw almonds Raw almonds Smoked and salted 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. The sweet almond itself contains practically no carbohydrates and may therefore be made into flour for cakes and cookies 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 grams 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. 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. Sweet almonds are used in marzipan, nougat, French macaroons, and Financiers as well as other desserts. Almonds are a rich source of Vitamin E, containing 24 mg per 100 g.15 They are also rich in monounsaturated fat, one of the two good fats responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol. 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.16 Marcona almonds are traditionally served after being lightly fried in oil, and are also used by Spanish chefs to prepare a dessert called turrón. 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. Badam Halva is a very tasty sweet made from almond with some added coloring. Also Badam flakes are added to lots of sweets such as sohan burfy in India which are usually visible sticking to the outer surface. Almond oil This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. July 2008 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. 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 natural skin care products, it is very high in omega-3. 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. 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. Possible health benefits Claimed health benefits include improved complexion, improved movement of food through the colon feces and the prevention of cancer.17 Recent research associates the inclusion of almonds in the diet with elevating the blood levels of high density lipoproteins and of lowering the levels of low density lipoproteins.1819 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%.20 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.21 Because of cases of Salmonella traced to almonds in 2001 and 2004, in 2006 the Almond Board of California proposed rules regarding pasteurization of almonds available to the public, and the USDA approved them.22 Since 1 September 2007, raw almonds have technically not been available in the United States. Controversially, almonds labeled as raw are required to be steam pasteurised or chemically treated with propylene oxide. This does not apply to imported almonds.23 Cultural aspects This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. February 2008 Almond flowers Almond flowers Almond tree in Spain. Almond tree in Spain. The almond is highly revered in some cultures. The tree grows in Syria, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. The Hebrew name, שָ×?קֵד 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. 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. 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. Etymology This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. 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. The adjective amygdaloid literally like an almond is often used for things which are roughly almond-shaped, particularly a shape which is partway between a rectangle and an ellipse. See also Almond milk, a milky drink made from ground almonds, similar to soy milk Almond Biscuit Almond Joy, a candy bar Blanching 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 References ^ Katzer, Gernot 2005-09-11. Almond Prunus dulcis. Retrieved on 2008-07-18. ^ Prunus dulcis information from NPGS/GRIN. Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ a b Rushforth, Keith 1999. Collins wildlife trust guide trees: a photographic guide to the trees of Britain and Europe. London: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-220013-9. ^ a b Griffiths, Mark D.; Anthony Julian Huxley 1992. The New Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 0-333-47494-5. ^ a b c Zohary, Daniel; Maria Hopf 2000. Domestication of plants in the old world: the origin and spread of cultivated plants in West Asia, Europe, and the Nile Valley. Oxford University Press, 186. ISBN 0-19-850356-3. ^ Diamond, Jared M. 1997. Guns, germs, and steel: the fates of human societies. New York: W.W. Norton, 118. ISBN 0-393-03891-2. ^ Prunus dulcis. Plants for a Future. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ Flora Europaea Search Results. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ United States Department of Agriculture ^ Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ^ Michael Pollan ^ Karkocha I January 1973. Semiquantitative method of hydrogen cyanide determination in bitter and sweet almonds in Polish. Roczniki PaÅ„stwowego ZakÅ‚adu Higieny 24 6: 703-5. PMID 4775628. ^ Shragg TA, Albertson TE, Fisher CJ January 1982. Cyanide poisoning after bitter almond ingestion. West. J. Med. 136 1: 65-9. PMID 7072244. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ Cantor, D., Fleischer, J., Green, J., Israel, D. L. 2006. The Fruit of the Matter. mental floss 5 4: 12. ^ White, G. Vitamin E and Minerals: Nutrition from Nuts. AllAboutVision.com. Retrieved August 20, 2006. ^ Marcona almonds ^ Davis PA, Iwahashi CK April 2001. Whole almonds and almond fractions reduce aberrant crypt foci in a rat model of colon carcinogenesis. Cancer Lett. 165 1: 27-33. PMID 11248415. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ Porter Novelli. Almonds: Cholesterol lowering, heart-healthy snack. Press release. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ Spiller GA, Jenkins DA, Bosello O, Gates JE, Cragen LN, Bruce B June 1998. Nuts and plasma lipids: an almond-based diet lowers LDL-C while preserving HDL-C. J Am Coll Nutr 17 3: 285-90. PMID 9627917. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, et al September 2002. Dose response of almonds on coronary heart disease risk factors: blood lipids, oxidized low-density lipoproteins, lipoproteina, homocysteine, and pulmonary nitric oxide: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. Circulation 106 11: 1327-32. PMID 12221048. Retrieved on 2008-07-17. ^ Puri, Har Sharnjit Singh 2002. Badam Prunus amygdalus, Rasayana: Ayurvedic Herbs for Longevity and Rejuvenation Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times, 2. Boca Raton: CRC, 59-63. ISBN 0-415-28489-9. ^ Almond Board of California 2007-03-30. Action Plan and Pasteurization. Press release. Retrieved on 2008-06-18. ^ Agricultural Marketing Service 2006-11-08 Almonds Grown in California: Changes to Incoming Quality Control Requirements 71 F.R. 65373, 71 F.R. 65374, 71 F.R. 65375 and 71 F.R. 65376 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Prunus dulcis dulcis INC, International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation 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 v d e Edible fats and oils Fats Bacon grease Butter Clarified butter Cocoa butter Dripping Duck fat Ghee Lard Margarine Niter kibbeh Salo Schmaltz Shea butter Smen Suet Tallow Vegetable shortening Oils Almond oil Argan oil Avocado oil Canola oil Castor oil Coconut oil Colza oil Corn oil Cottonseed oil Grape seed oil Hazelnut oil Hemp oil Linseed oil flaxseed oil Macadamia oil Marula oil Mustard oil Olive oil Palm oil Palm kernel oil Peanut oil Pecan oil Perilla oil Pistachio oil Poppyseed oil Pumpkin seed oil Rapeseed oil Rice bran oil Safflower oil Sesame oil Soybean oil Sunflower oil Tea seed oil Walnut oil See also: List of vegetable oils Cooking oil Retrieved from http://en..org/wiki/Almond Categories: Prunus | Edible nuts and seeds | Pollination management | Snack foods | Vegan snacksHidden categories: Articles needing additional references from February 2008 | articles needing copy from February 2008 | All articles needing copy | articles needing clarification | All articles with statements | Articles with statements since February 2008 | Articles with statements since July 2008 | Articles to be expanded since February 2008 | All articles to be expanded | Articles lacking reliable references from July 2008 | All articles lacking sources | Articles needing additional references from July 2008 Views Article Discussion this page History Personal tools Log in / create account Navigation Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Search Go Search Interaction Community portal Recent changes Contact Donate to Help Toolbox What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent link Cite this page Languages Afrikaans العربية Aragonés БеларуÑ?каÑ? БеларуÑ?каÑ? тарашкевіца БългарÑ?ки Català Cebuano ÄŒesky Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Español Esperanto Euskara Ù?ارسی Français Furlan Galego Hornjoserbsce Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית ქáƒ?რთული Lietuvių Magyar МакедонÑ?ки മലയാളം Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本語 ‪Norsk bokmÃ¥l‬ Occitan Polski Português Runa Simi РуÑ?Ñ?кий Sicilianu SlovenÄ?ina СрпÑ?ки / Srpski Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe ä¸æ–‡ This page was last modified on 12 September 2008, at 19:39
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