PRUNUS DULCIS THE ALMOND’S botanical name reveals that it is actually a stone fruit, in the same genus as cherries, peaches, plums, and apricots. In this case, though, it’s not sweet, juicy flesh we’re after but rather the seed inside the pulpy husk that covers it when it grows on the tree.
Almonds were one of the first plants to be cultivated. According to archeological evidence, almond farming began some time before 3000 bce. The wild progenitor almond trees are from central and western Asia, as are so many of our familiar tree crops (for example, apple, apricot, and peach; if one draws a line from the Mediterranean basin to the borders of China, roughly following the old Silk Road, many of our most important food crops originated along that line, especially in central Asia).
California is the world champion almond producer today, where it’s a billion-dollar-a-year industry. Almost all of America’s almonds are grown in California, and 80 percent of the world supply comes from there.
THE ORGANIC FACTOR
In California, about 10 million pounds of agricultural pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides were used on the 480,000 acres of almonds farmed by 6,000 growers in 2001. And a lot of it found its way into the tributaries that lead into San Francisco Bay, raising pesticide levels above the Environmental Protection Agency’s allowable limits—meaning that levels exceeded what is considered safe. Yet an organic almond market is steadily growing, at between 18 and 20 percent a year, depending on crop size.
Already there are some small almond producers moving away from pesticides and toward a more organic process.
NUTRITION
Almonds are nutritious. People think of them as fatty, yet of the 14 grams of fat in 1 ounce of almonds, 9.5 grams are the healthful monounsaturated kind. (Read about the amount of fat in different nuts and seeds.) Studies have shown that almonds lower LDL (bad cholesterol). A 1-ounce handful of almonds delivers 6 grams of protein, which is about the same as one egg or 1 ounce of meat—but without the artery-clogging saturated fat. It also contains 3 grams of dietary fiber, 35 percent of our daily requirement of antioxidant vitamin E, and excellent stores of magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc. Almonds make a great snack compared to most items on the snack aisle of the supermarket. For something so small, they’re packed with good nutrition.
SEASONALITY
The new crop of almonds comes in at the end of summer.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Organic almonds are sold in bulk, and by the bag at many natural food stores. They can be found as almond butter and whole and slivered almonds. Look for whole almonds still in their brown jackets.
USES
Almonds are a multipurpose nut. Add toasted almonds to salads, top muffins with them, stick them to the icing on the sides of a cake, sprinkle on a soup or pasta to add some crunch.
TO TOAST ALMONDS
Place sliced almonds on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until golden.
RESOURCES
http://www.maisiejanes.com
Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products
Soft-shelled almonds, plain and processed. ....read more
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