Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R. They’re almond m&ms of healthy fats, fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals.
Almonds were originally grown in the Middle East. Today, California is the largest producer of almonds in the world. California’s almond production has doubled in the past 20 years. That’s because more and more people are becoming aware of the health benefits.
Here’s a look at the health benefits. Nearly half of a dried almond’s weight is oil. Ripe almonds are pressed to extract the oil with minimal heat. This unrefined almond oil protects the nutrients and the flavor of the oil. High heat and sometimes chemicals are used to create refined almond oil.
While refined almond oil is more heat-tolerant, it may lack the nutritional value of unrefined varieties. Almond oil, which is also called sweet almond oil, is not the same as bitter almond oil. Bitter almond oil is made from a different variety of almonds. It is refined to remove toxins that are naturally present in the skin of the almonds. Almond oil is full of vitamin E, and it’s a great source of magnesium, phosphorus, and copper. The antioxidant-rich oil is known for its free radical fighting abilities.