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The almond is believed to have originally been cultivated in Asia and North Africa, and it was Spanish missionaries who first brought almonds to California. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United States is the largest producer of almonds in the world.

The almond featured significantly in different cultures throughout history. The Romans would shower the bride and groom with almonds as a blessing of fertility. In Egypt, almonds were used in bread that was served exclusively to the Pharaohs. There are also several references to the almond in the Bible.

The almond tree is closely related to the peach, apricot and cherry. There are two types of almonds, sweet and bitter. The sweet almonds are those that are eaten, the bitter almonds are toxic, and are inedible until processed for oil for use in flavorings and liqueurs.

Although almonds are high in calories, they are exceptionally high in nutrition. They are a rich source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, high in protein, potassium, magnesium and calcium, a good source of Vitamin E and Niacin, and an excellent source of fiber.

There is some concern of weight gain from consumption of the fat content in almonds. A study of twenty women was conducted which demonstrated that ten weeks of daily almond consumption did not affect weight. In another 24-week trial, it was concluded that a low calorie diet supplemented with almonds was effective in a greater and more sustained loss of weight.

In another study involving 60 healthy male smokers and 30 healthy non-smokers, it was found that the antioxidant nutrients found in almonds could increase antioxidant defenses and reduce oxidative damage in smokers.

In a human study it was found that almonds helped stabilize blood sugar levels after eating, and a decrease in insulin levels in the blood were also recorded. Stable blood sugar levels help to protect against heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

In recent studies it has been demonstrated that almonds significantly reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, which may lessen the risk of heart disease.

In animal studies, results suggest that almonds may be helpful in the prevention of colon cancer.

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