Almonds

History

Almonds are an ancient food that have been written about in historical texts, including the Bible. Almonds were thought to have originated in regions in western Asia and northern Africa. The Romans referred to almonds as the “Greek nut” in reference to the civilization suggested to have first cultivated them. Almond trees were originally brought to California centuries ago when missions were created by the Spanish, but cultivation of the trees was abandoned when the missions were closed. Almond trees found their way back to California in the 19th century via the eastern United States. By the turn of the 20th century, the almond industry was firmly established in the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas of California’s great Central Valley.

Today

Contents

Fun FactsFace of a FarmerSeasonNutritionStatisticsHelpful Links

Wil-Ker-Son Ranch

Wilkerson Ranch has been family owned and operated since 1978. In partnership with his in-laws, Doug Wilkerson and his wife Linda purchased the thirty-five acre ranch in 1978.
More...

Billings Ranches Inc

The Billings family is proud to be four generations strong. The quality of their almonds stands alone, along with the care that has been put in each and every one of their orchards. Four generations of family in the almond industry has allowed them to master growing almonds in the Central Valley of California. D. Billings began farming in the Central Valley of California in 1913. Four generations later, Matt Billings has continued the family tradition of bringing quality almonds from their farm to you.
More...

Season

Freshest in mid-summer, which is when they are at the height of their season

Ripeness

Look for almonds that are uniform in color and not limp or shriveled. In addition, smell the almonds. They should smell sweet and nutty; if their odor is sharp or bitter, they are rancid.

Storage

Since almonds have a high fat content, it is important to store them properly in order to protect them from becoming rancid. Store shelled almonds in a tightly sealed container, in a cool dry place away from exposure to sunlight. Keeping them cold will further protect them from rancidity and prolong their freshness. Refrigerated almonds will keep for several months, while if stored in the freezer, almonds can be kept for up to a year. Shelled almond pieces will become rancid more quickly than whole shelled almonds. Almonds still in the shell have the longest shelf life.

Almonds are particularly nutritious, 100g contain 16.9g protein, 4.2mg iron, 250mg calcium, 20mg vitamin E, 3.1mg zinc and 0.92mg vitamin B2.

In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E, a quarter-cup of almonds contains almost 99mg of magnesium (that's 24.7% of the daily value for this important mineral), plus 257mg of potassium.

Almonds are concentrated in protein. A quarter-cup contains 7.62grams- more protein than is provided by the typical egg, which contains 5.54grams.