Where Do Almonds Come From?
Almonds are one of the most ancient nuts in the world and have been cultivated by civilizations dating back as far as 4,000 B.C, but it’s unknown where in the world the almond originated. As explorers snacked on almonds throughout Asia and the Mediterranean, they left trails of unripe nuts behind, and eventually almond trees started sprouting up throughout the world in places like Spain, Greece, Morocco, and Israel.
Today, the National Agricultural Statistics Service predicts that California’s almond orchards will produce about 3 billion pounds of the nut this year alone! And it’s no surprise, given the many benefits that almonds provide.
Almond Health Benefits
Due to their essential fatty acid composition, when ingested almonds can help to improve the function, longevity and overall health of the brain. When applied topically, almonds also provide unique benefits to improve your skin and hair.
Almond Oil Benefits for Skin and Hair
- Anti-inflammatory: Can help to soothe and calm inflamed areas of the skin, rashes, scars, and other skin conditions.
- High antioxidant content: Antioxidants like those found in almonds can help to fight the free radicals that lead to premature signs of aging of skin cells.
- Emollient properties: Hydrates and can help to soften and smooth the skin and hair.
- Key vitamins: Almonds contain over 20% of your daily recommended allowance of Vitamin E, Manganese, Magnesium which all contribute to strong hair follicles, healthy nail beds, and an even skin tone.
However, not all almond oil is created equal; there are two main types of almond oil that are used in personal care products, and the oil can be processed in a few different ways which result in varying degrees of nutrients and benefits.
How is Almond Oil Made?
Not all almond oil created equal. After almonds are harvested, they can be processed into almond oil in two ways:
- High heat and chemical method: Used to create refined almond oil, the high heat method diminishes the nutrients in almonds and lowers their overall nutritional value.
- Natural extraction: This method uses low heat or cold-press to extract the oil from raw almonds, retaining the nutrients and nutritional value. The 100% organically sourced almond oil found in our products goes through this cold pressed process to ensure that the full range of vitamins and minerals remain intact.
Difference Between Almond Oil and Sweet Almond Oil
There are two main types of almond oil: bitter and sweet almond oil.
Bitter Almond Oil
This variety of almond oil usually comes from pink-flowering wild almond trees (Prunus Dulcis), which naturally contain a chemical compound called Amygdalin. When broken down by chewing or crushing, this compound turns into a poisonous liquid.
Thankfully, this toxin has been bred out as almonds were domesticated and genetically modified throughout generations of agricultural practice.
When used topically, bitter almond oil is safe to use, but if you ever see an almond tree in nature, do yourself a favor and skip the tasing (unless you’re interested in a game of russian roulette)!
Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil comes from a white-flowering almond tree (Prunus Amygdalus), which produces nuts that are both safe to ingest and use topically.
With a high fatty acid content and high levels Omega 6 and Omega 9, this species of almond offers a wide range of health benefits.
100% organically sourced sweet almond oil is used as a carrier oil in our natural cologne and beard oil, meaning that it’s used to balance out other oils that are otherwise too strong to be applied to the skin directly- this results in a mixture that provides all the benefits of almond oil, combined with those of stronger oils, like essential oils.
What about almond oils in shampoos? Do you put it in your shampoos, too?
I have read that sunflower oil from boiled seeds (but NOT salted ones!!) are a natural hair tonic. I tried mixing it with shampoo once.