Almonds are relatives to the cherry tree, the plum tree and the peach, all stone fruits. It is thought that Almonds originated in China and central Asia and that after the silk road was built, allowing travellers to move free from territory to territory almonds germinated along the way eventually leading to their wide spread distribution throughout much of the Mediterranean and especially Italy and Spain where the climate is perfect for this type of tree to grow.Almonds flourish in the USA today all thanks to the early missionaries who brought them over from Spain and crossbred different variety’s to produce the different types we have today.
The highly successful almond business only started flourishing towards the turn of the 20th century especially in the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas. Almonds have had a large part to play in the religious social and ethnic parts of our lives. In the bible Almonds sprouted from Aarons rod symbolizing divine approval, Romans showered there newly married couples with almonds symbolizing a pagan fertility charm. Overall almonds are California's largest tree nut harvest, Almonds rank as the 7th largest US food export with over 7000 different growers exporting to different countries like Germany the largest consumer consuming 25% of the crop followed by Japan, Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, India and Spain. This doesn’t stop here because the worldwide need for Almonds is growing daily and demand especially in the pacific rim countries alone is massively high.
Almonds At a Glance
- Almonds originate from the Middle East.
- Almonds are a stone fruit, related to plums, peaches, nectarines and cherries.
- California is the largest producer, supplying 80% of the world's supply of almonds.
- One of the biggest consumers are chocolate manufacturers, who use 40% of the world's almonds.
- Almonds are healthy containing absolutely no cholesterol what so ever, high in magnesium, vitamin E.
- 1 ounce contains 163 calories, 14 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.
- The American Heart Association has officially certified the almond nut as a heart-healthy food.
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