Today, with the exception of a few almonds that come from cultivated sweet almond trees, most are still harvested from wild almond trees, and they can be bitter or sweet. The bitter ones are called "North Almonds," while the sweet ones are called "South Almonds."
I. Almonds can be bitter or sweet
Bitter almonds are bitter in taste, flat and heart-shaped, with a pointed tip and a thick, blunt, and rounded base, slightly asymmetrical on both sides. Sweet almonds have a light, sweet taste, are large and flat, with a roughly symmetrical base. Bitter almonds contain toxins, and eating a few untreated bitter almonds can lead to poisoning, which can be fatal in severe cases. Medical experts remind people to distinguish between bitter and sweet almonds when purchasing them to avoid poisoning. Therefore, the almonds mentioned in social media posts for suicide are bitter almonds.
The toxicity of bitter almonds comes from hydrogen cyanide released by the hydrolysis of amygdalin, a substance that can cause cellular suffocation and lead to tissue hypoxia. Every 100 grams of bitter almonds contains enough amygdalin to release 100-250 milligrams of hydrogen cyanide, and 60 milligrams of hydrogen cyanide can be fatal. Therefore, there is a high risk of poisoning if you eat untreated almonds, especially bitter ones.
II. Symptoms of Almond Poisoning
The more bitter the almond, the more toxic it is, and eating a few raw ones can generally cause poisoning. There may be a latent period of 2-9 hours. The severity of almond poisoning is related to the amount ingested and the patient's age. In mild cases, there may only be nausea, vomiting, general discomfort, fatigue, headache, dizziness, and irritability. In severe cases, there is frequent vomiting, rapid breathing and heartbeat, a bluish complexion, convulsions or stiffness in the limbs, difficulty breathing, and it can even lead to death from respiratory failure.
III. How to Prevent Almond Poisoning
Proper consumption of almonds can achieve the effects of promoting saliva to quench thirst, moistening the lungs to relieve asthma, lubricating the intestines to relieve constipation, and reducing the risk of intestinal cancer. There are many ways to cook almonds; they can be used to make porridge, cakes, bread, and other types of food, and can also be paired with other seasonings to make delicious dishes.
Although almonds have many medicinal and edible values, they cannot be consumed in large quantities. Almonds contain a toxic substance, hydrogen cyanide (100 grams of bitter almonds release 100-250 milligrams of hydrogen cyanide upon decomposition. The lethal dose of hydrogen cyanide is 60 milligrams. The hydrogen cyanide content of sweet almonds is about one-third of that of bitter almonds). Excessive consumption can lead to poisoning. Therefore, they must be soaked in water multiple times and heated to a boil before consumption to reduce or eliminate the toxic substances. Postpartum women, young children, people with a "damp-heat" constitution, and diabetics should not eat apricots or their products.
Foods that are incompatible with almonds: Almonds, water caltrop, and pig's lung: When consumed together, they are not beneficial for protein absorption.