Nuts About Almonds by Toby Amidor in Healthy Recipes, Healthy
Tips, October 13, 2011 - Comments (1,114) Almonds originated in
central Asia and their cultivation has been traced back to
Biblical times. In ancient Egypt, almonds were left in King
Tut’s tomb to keep him nourished in the afterlife. These crunchy
goodies were brought over to the United States from Spain in
1700. Two hundred years later, the almond industry was booming
in California. Almonds are the seeds of a fruit tree that’s
related to the rose family. They’re grown in California,
Australia, the Mediterranean and South Africa. There are two
main types of almonds: sweet and bitter. Sweet almonds have a
delicate and slightly sweet flavor and are the variety that most
folks eat. Bitter almonds contain a toxic chemical called
hydrocyanic acid and can be lethal when eaten raw. The chemical
is destroyed once it is heated and the almond is then safe to
eat. Bitter almonds aren’t allowed to be sold in the United
States, though processed bitter almonds a