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Temperate Fruit & Orchards => Temperate Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: huertasurbanas on December 19, 2016, 01:36:05 PM

Title: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: huertasurbanas on December 19, 2016, 01:36:05 PM
Hi, maybe this is an stupid question, but I have a lot of almonds on the tree now, only some of them fell and I tasted one, it tastes very good, it's not so dry and hard like the ones you let ripe more in the tree or like the ones you buy at the store, but it tasted good

would it be a problem for my health to eat them being uripe?
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: LaCasaVerde on December 20, 2016, 08:35:19 PM
Dont think so... called Green Almonds . Used in cooking a lot and eaten unripe in middle east areas. Havent heard they are bad for you.
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: fyliu on December 20, 2016, 11:36:14 PM
What about the cyanide compounds? Ripe almonds are definitely not edible raw. I don't know if the concentration is low enough to be safe in unripe almonds.
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: Lory on December 21, 2016, 09:25:44 AM
You can easily recognize the cyanide compounds namely the amigdalyn for it's typical bitter-almond taste.
Even at very low concentration it's taste is extemely bitter.
If they taste good i mean not bitter  they are unlikely to be toxic.
Jus try not to over-eat too many of them  :)
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: huertasurbanas on December 21, 2016, 09:36:44 PM
Dont think so... called Green Almonds . Used in cooking a lot and eaten unripe in middle east areas. Havent heard they are bad for you.

Ok, great! to me, they taste better than normal dry almonds... thanks
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: Waiting on December 28, 2016, 04:11:55 PM
Ripe almonds are definitely not edible raw.

Huh? Ripe almonds are, indeed, edible raw. As are unripe almonds

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/15/food/la-fo-marketwatch-20110415 (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/15/food/la-fo-marketwatch-20110415)
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: fyliu on December 28, 2016, 04:44:20 PM
Ripe almonds are definitely not edible raw.

Huh? Ripe almonds are, indeed, edible raw. As are unripe almonds

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/15/food/la-fo-marketwatch-20110415 (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/15/food/la-fo-marketwatch-20110415)
You responded to my statement about ripe almonds but the linked article only has information about eating green almonds.

Here's one I got on the first page search results Why You Should Think Twice About Buying “Raw” Almonds at the Store (http://www.livingwhole.org/why-you-should-think-twice-about-buying-raw-almonds-at-the-store/)
What I understand was "raw" almonds are either flash cooked or treated with a chemical to render the natural "don't eat me or you'll be sorry" substances inert.

I'll just trust you and posters above to be right about ripe almonds since I don't have time to research it further.
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: LaCasaVerde on December 28, 2016, 06:11:28 PM
Here is a good article on the subject. To be safe it is wise to determine first what type of almond you have. huertasurbanas said his were not bitter but tasted good thus my first post. 
 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/494578-can-almonds-cause-cyanide-poisoning/ (http://www.livestrong.com/article/494578-can-almonds-cause-cyanide-poisoning/)
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: Waiting on December 28, 2016, 08:11:15 PM
So, I guess the correct answer is "some raw, ripe almonds are safe to eat".

I wasn't aware of the distinction between raw and "raw". Searching by "raw almonds" brings up a number of places selling unpasturized, raw almonds.

fyliu's link made me worry about the can of Blue Diamond almonds I included as a stocking stuffer. They were labeled "Whole Natural". Blue Diamond's website doesn't describe any processing done to them but I suspect they are roasted. I've sent an email to the company to find out.

I no longer have a "sweet" almond tree but there is a wild, volunteer, "bitter almond" tree, growing next to my driveway. You would not choose to eat more than one.

Here's another interesting (to me, anyway) article

https://abouquetfrommendel.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/why-natural-isnt-always-better-almond-extract-and-cyanide/

.
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: Viking Guy on December 31, 2016, 11:36:39 PM
The whole natural blue diamond almonds aren't roasted, but they are treated.

They taste very good, and I've eaten them for years.  Just don't eat too many in one sitting, or your stool will turn into cat litter.
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: Waiting on January 02, 2017, 05:26:30 PM
I got a response from Blue Diamond - all of their almonds are pasteurized. The method wasn't identified but the respondent wrote at great length to assure me of the safety of propylene oxide.

I've eaten a lot of Blue Diamond almonds over the years. I'm especially fond of the Smokehouse flavor.
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: stuartdaly88 on January 09, 2017, 01:47:02 AM
Raw almonds are very common and tasty I thought it was the variety that determined the safety of the Almond? Raw sweet almonds I have eaten by the kilo ha ha.

Now they are too expensive:(
Title: Re: can you eat unripe almonds?
Post by: Waiting on January 12, 2017, 01:01:25 AM
Another bitter almond article:

http://articles.latimes.com/2002/feb/20/food/fo-almond20 (http://articles.latimes.com/2002/feb/20/food/fo-almond20)