ALMONDS

The almond is truly one of nature's finest foods. Recent scientific studies have concluded that almonds provide many healthy benefits. Scientific research shows that the consumption of almonds, as part of a low saturated fat diet, may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by dramatically lowering blood cholesterol levels in the body. Furthermore, almonds are a nutrient packed nut that are excellent sources of the daily vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs.

California is the only place in North America where almonds are grown commercially. There are 49 varieties of almonds grown in the United States. Four varieties make up 85% of all almonds grown in California. The four main varieties are Nonpareil, Carmel, California types, and Mission types.

Almonds are sorted into 4 grades. These grades measure the quality of the almond in terms of chips and scratches, amount of foreign material, and splits and broken almonds. The four grades of almonds are Extra No. 1, No. 1 Supreme, U.S. Select Sheller Run, and U.S. Standard Sheller Run. Almonds are also manufactured into 6 types of Almonds. These processed almonds are produced in two ways, blanched and natural. Blanched almonds are manufactured almonds with the skins removed.

Almonds are sorted based on the number of almond kernels per ounce.

Types of Almonds

There are different types of almonds that one can enjoy every day, such as the ones that you can buy that are raw. Consumers can also buy roasted almonds that are either salted or unsalted. Today there are even flavored almonds for sale. Just to name a few of the flavored ones, look for chocolate flavored almonds, mocha flavored, or cinnamon flavored, etc. One well-known brand flavors their almonds with bold flavors like honey Dijon, Habanero BBQ, and chili and lime flavors. Plain, unflavored, raw almonds can be sliced, ground into flour, or chopped. Almond flour is used in many different recipes as a replacement for wheat flour today.

California almond growers harvest at least 25 different varieties of almonds each year that are actually categorized into 3 different classifications. Each almond type has its own taste and characteristic. The 3 major classifications are;

Nonpareil – These almonds have a thin outer shell and the kernels have a smooth, light-colored skin so they are easy to blanch. If you want a nice looking smooth kernelled almond that is somewhat flat in shape, nonpareil is the type to buy.
California – There are several varieties included in this type. These have a harder shell, but they are still easy to blanch. Some of the varieties in this category include Carmel, Monterey and Sonora almonds.
Mission – The almonds that get categorized in this classification have a really hard shell. The kernel inside is smaller than the Nonpareil and California almonds. Mission almonds have a dark, wrinkled skin that makes them the perfect choice for flavored almonds. Producers usually do not blanch this type of almond because of the dark wrinkly skin.
Nonpareil almond trees bloom earliest, and the fruit ripens before other types of almond trees. The other varieties can take from 25 to 60 days longer before the nuts on them are ripe enough to harvest.

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