Almond

Authors: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer, Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles

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Last updated on: 29.10.2020

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Synonym(s)

common amygdalus

Definition
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Fruits of the common almond tree.

General information
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The almond tree (see Prunus dulcis below) grows 6-7 m high and flowers before it gets leaves. The fruit has a leathery shell covered with a grey felt; the fruit skin is either very hard and shiny or, as with the so-called "crack almonds", easily fragile. Almonds can be eaten raw. They are used as a seasoning ingredient in cakes, pastries and for kitchen purposes. Thus almond oil is a pale yellowish, thin-bodied, only slightly smelling and tasty oil which is frequently used in nutritional applications.

Furthermore the different extracts of almond fruits are used for cosmetic purposes (see below Prunus dulcis).

Occurrence
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Asia, especially Persia, Arabia, China, on Java. In Europe mainly native to the Mediterranean countries.

Complication(s)
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From an allergological point of view, almond allergies play only a minor role (see nut below).

Note(s)
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Almond oil can be used directly as skin oil or for the preparation of ointments (see below almond oil ointment, white (FH)). The almond paste pressed during the preparation of almond oil forms the so-called almond bran which serves as a skin-beautifying detergent and milldes abrasive.