Almond trees are native to modern day Iran and the surrounding Mesopotamian and Levant regions. Almonds made their way through Moorish Spain and came to be popular in Medieval Europe where Almond Milk first made it onto the culinary scene. The Almond that we’re most familiar with is the edible seed of a tree which is oftentimes colloquially called a nut. Almonds and almonds trees are related to peaches or nectarines which becomes evident when looking at the seed itself wrapped in a fruit resembling a peach in many ways, although the almond ‘fruit’ portion is not edible.
- almonds are a great source of fiber, calcium, vitamin E, and riboflavin
- they’ve been associated with a lower risk of obesity
- almonds have been suggested to reduce heart disease risk by lowering total LDL cholesterol and exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
- great source of vitamin E and monounsaturated fats
- contains phytonutrients, specifically flavonoids, plant sterols, and phenolic acids
Sources
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/almonds/
https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(10)00128-9/fulltext