41 Almond Fun Facts for National Almond Day

• Almonds have the most protein of all nuts.

National Almond Day is February 16^th, so here’s a bunch of almond fun facts to help kick off this day!

• Cultivating almonds first happened on land that ran along the Mediterranean Sea, about 4000 B.C.
• In 2003, a health claim by the FDA stated a serving of 1.5 ounces of almonds every day reduces the risk of heart disease.
• Almonds were placed in King Tut’s grave in 1352 B.C. to nourish him in his afterlife.
• Almonds vary in taste and husk size.
• If your almonds aren’t from California, they come from countries like Spain and Australia.
• In the 1850s, a new industry of manufacturing and growing almonds began California.
• Almonds are related to peaches, apricots and cherries, all a part of the prunus family. This is one of the coolest almond fun facts.
• Almonds as we know them are actually the seed of the fruit, but you can’t eat the fleshy part of the almond fruit.
• Almonds aren’t hand picked off the tree.
• Almonds can be turned into milk.
• Almonds stay fresh for a long time. When it comes to unblanched almonds, they will keep in the fridge for up to two years.
• The Vitamin E in almonds is what helps keep them fresh.
• If you don’t have the space to store your almonds in the fridge, make sure to keep them in a cool and dark spot.
• The chocolate industry is the single largest user of almonds.
• Almonds have the most protein of all nuts. This has got to be one of the best almond fun facts!
• For every 100g of almonds, there are 21.1g of protein.
• Almonds are great for heart health.
• In the U.S. all commercially sold almonds are pasteurized to prevent salmonella and other bacteria from growing.
• Almond flour can be used as a great gluten-free alternative to wheat flour.
• You can use almond flour in cake, pudding, pastries, and it’s the number one ingredient in marzipan.
• Almonds give you a natural energy boost with manganese, copper and Riboflavin.
• You can use ground almonds (or even almond flour) as a breadcrumb alternative!
• Almonds make tasty nut butter.
• You can swap out pine nuts for almonds in pesto.
• Bees are important to the almond growing process. This is one of the best almond fun facts.
• Honey from bees that pollinated almond trees is bitter and cannot be consumed as so. The honey must be blended with other types of honey for a better taste.
• Almond trees are very sensitive to cold temperatures. Farmers must ensure that the air around the orchard stays above a specific temperature to protect the trees. “That’s one of the risks I take,” said Michael Doherty, an almond grower. “If the temperature hits -2 or -3 °C degrees during blooming season, I would lose my whole crop.”
• Almond milk is low in calories. A cup is just 30 calories, or about half as much as cow’s milk.
• Almonds contain 6 grams of protein per ounce.
• Almonds are a good source of magnesium.
• Nonpareils are used when the need for attractive almonds or strong almond flavor is important.
• Almonds are drupes. Drupes are defined as a fleshy fruit with think skin and a central stone with a seed.
• There are over 30 varieties of almonds. Some popular kinds are California, Mission, and Nonpareils.
• California produces eight out of every 10 almonds for the world. Wow, this has got to be the king of almond fun facts.
• California has a favorable climate for growing almonds.
• Using ground almonds for tarts, bars and squares, or for savory dishes as breading are all new ways to try almonds.
• No other state in the U.S. grows almonds commercially besides California.
• Almonds grow on trees in three parts — the hull, the shell and the kernel.
• California almond farms span 500 miles of Central Valley with 6,500 growers. Family owned farms make up 72% in the region.
• Nonpareil is the most popular and marketable type of almond.
• Green almonds are simply unripe almonds.

Do you love almonds? What’s your of all the almond fun facts.