Almonds

Almonds are stone fruits (since they are the kernel of a fruit) and originally come from Asia; nowadays they also grow in Spain, America (California) and Italy. The consumption of almonds used to be very popular for healing the diseases of those living the good life. Cooks of royal families used to add almonds to the food so that the heavy meals of meat were easier to digest.

Rose family

Almonds are members of the rose family and are therefore also called ‘The queen of the rose family’. Other family members of the almond are the peach and the apricot. Almonds were grown thousands of years ago without having an official name. It took some time before the name almond was created. This was because botanists kept thinking up new names for it.

Ornamental shape

The almond tree can be recognized by its ornamental shape. In exceptional cases, the tree can reach a height of 12 metres. The flower of the almond tree contains a large amount of nectar and therefore attracts many insects. Bees in particular target this tree and take care of pollination at the same time. Fruit are found in the tree early every year. Almonds do not ripen until the end of summer.

Nutritional value

Almonds are famous because of their antioxidant capacity. The almond is rich in the antioxidant vitamin E. Antioxidants, such as vitamin E, can play a role in preventing cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and in slowing down the ageing process. The magnesium in almonds helps strengthen bones and plays a role in different enzyme processes in our body. Almonds are, like all nuts, rich in unsaturated fat.

Further information to other nuts: