Whether you eat them raw, roasted or sugared, in soups or on desserts, you are in for a treat. There are two varieties, bitter and sweet, but the latter are the ones to eat raw, as the former have a deadly chemistry (1). Bitter almonds contain small amounts of prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide), a well-known rat poison also used as a method of execution in gas chambers, where it inflicts an unpleasant suffocating death on the victim. So as not to spoil your enjoyment of the bitter variety, purchase them as as almond oil – an excellent food flavouring and skin lotion - if you really must combine the two!
The Nutritional Profile of a Nut
Prussic acid aside, there are nutrients of a more conventional type inside almonds. Top of the list is protein, followed by mono-unsaturated fats, zinc, potassium, magnesium, iron and B vitamins (2). The reason for such a dazzling array is the lifecycle of the almond tree, which follows the pattern of all plants when it produces seeds. These miniature packets of survival must contain the ingredients for successful germination and growth of the next generation. Therefore, all seeds are nutritious, but not all are edible, depending on the particular recipe the plant has chosen for its journey of survival.
Fixing Nitrogen in Plants
The inclusion of a toxic substance such as hydrogen cyanide can be explained if we look at its chemical formula (HCN), which contains the element nitrogen, essential for protein structure. We cannot store proteins, but plants have a superior physiology which can convert nitrates from the soil into a stable form stored inside plant cells (3). Plants such as legumes can take nitrogen directly from the air and fix it directly into their cells with the help of bacteria in their root nodules. If we eat excess protein, we either burn it off as energy or excrete it as urine. Plants are more economical and will store surplus nitrogen in all sorts of ways, including molecules of prussic acid!
More Uses for Almonds
Almond oil is rich in vitamin E, a vitamin found mainly in plants and needed by the body as an antioxidant, removing damaging free radicals from our cells and reducing the effects of disease and premature ageing. As a skin lotion it is wonderfully soothing, partly due to its aroma and its texture. Its vitamin E content may help repair stretch marks, heal scars and improve skin tone. As a fat-soluble vitamin, it can enter the skin circulation from the outside with gentle massage – the guiding principle behind aromatherapy, which also stimulates the senses via the olfactory system or nose.
Another way to butter up your partner is to take a handful of nuts, add a little almond oil and grind in an electric coffee grinder until smooth. This almond butter will keep up to three days in a fridge and tastes delicious on toast. Alternatively, if feeling below par, seek a well-known herbal remedy in the form of almond milk, which is recommended for chest infections and digestive upsets.
- Soak 50g of sweet almonds in warm water and skin them.
- Add a little water and pound them to a paste with a pestle and mortar.
- When you have recovered, add more warm water and make up to one pint.
- Stir in a tablespoonful of honey and strain through muslin cloth or a fine sieve.
An alternative method is to mix a small amount of the above almond paste with warm milk, heat up and mix energetically with a hand whisk. Next time, I’ll opt for the massage...
References
- Van Straten M. (2008) Superfood Pocket book. Little Books Ltd.
- Food Standards Agency (2002) The Composition of Foods. Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Simon E, Dormer K, Hartshorne J. (1968) Lowson's Textbook of Botany. University Tutorial Press.
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