Almonds are divided into sweet almonds and bitter almonds, mainly containing protein, fat, sugar, and trace amounts of amygdalin. The fat composition is mainly oleic acid and linoleic acid. How should northern and southern almonds be eaten?
When using both northern and southern almonds, their proportions should be adjusted based on their medicinal properties.
In terms of medicinal effects, southern and northern almonds each have different focuses.
Southern almonds, also known as sweet almonds, are characterized by their sweetness. Southern almonds are sweet and pungent in nature and flavor, with the effects of moistening dryness, tonifying the lungs, nourishing the skin, and lubricating the bowels to relieve constipation. They are suitable for deficiency syndromes such as chronic dry cough and asthma due to lung deficiency, chronic intestinal dryness and constipation, and dry skin.
Moreover, precisely because southern almonds moisten the lungs and bowels, they are most suitable for dry and deficient coughs. Those with phlegm-dampness coughs or wind-cold coughs should avoid them.
Northern almonds, also known as bitter almonds, are bitter in nature and flavor. They also have the effects of lowering qi, eliminating phlegm, stopping cough, and relieving asthma, as well as lubricating the bowels to relieve constipation. They are often used for excess syndromes such as cough and asthma, fullness in the chest with copious phlegm, and intestinal dryness with constipation.
Since northern almonds are significantly more effective than southern almonds in lowering qi, eliminating phlegm, stopping cough, and relieving asthma, they are often chosen for medicinal use.
Of course, many times, people use a mixture of southern and northern almonds, which is generally not a problem. However, if they can be selected according to the patient's specific condition, the effects will be better.
For example, if it's only a dry cough or a deficient cough, southern almonds alone will suffice. Common symptoms of dry or deficient coughs include a dry cough with no phlegm, or thick phlegm that is difficult to expel, dryness of the mouth and nose, an itchy or dry throat, and a preference for drinking. Since dryness easily injures the lungs and autumn is the main season for dryness, coughs in autumn are often dry coughs.
If it's an excess cough, northern almonds should be chosen. Excess coughs are characterized by copious phlegm, a heavy and coarse coughing sound, wheezing due to reversed qi, and a stifling sensation or wandering pain in the chest and ribs.
Of course, if both deficient and excess coughs are present, it is most appropriate to use both. However, it is best to carefully observe which type of cough is predominant. When the excess cough is more pronounced, the amount of northern almonds should be relatively larger to enhance the lung-qi lowering effect. When the dry cough is prominent, the amount of southern almonds should be increased to moisten the lungs and stop the cough.
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Extended Reading: A Complete Guide to Eating Almonds
When using bitter almonds, first remove the skin and tips.
Almonds are toxic, and their toxicity comes from hydrogen cyanide. Hydrogen cyanide is produced when amygdalin is broken down by the enzyme emulsin under certain conditions. In fact, amygdalin is the main medicinal component of almonds and is non-toxic itself; the real culprit is the emulsin enzyme. Therefore, during processing, amygdalin should be preserved as much as possible while the emulsin enzyme is destroyed to reduce toxicity.
How can the emulsin enzyme be removed? There is an old saying, "fire makes it good." Modern research has also found that placing bitter almonds in 10 times their weight in boiling water for 10 minutes can completely destroy the emulsin enzyme. The simmering time for soups and decoctions is generally long enough to greatly reduce the toxicity of bitter almonds.
In daily life, peeling the skin and tips of bitter almonds or crushing them before decocting is an effective processing method. The almond skin hinders the extraction of active ingredients and the inactivation of the emulsin enzyme, and the skin itself does not contain amygdalin and is not a medicinal part. It has been emphasized since ancient times to peel the skin when using almonds, and there is a good reason for this.
When eating almonds, do not exceed 15 grams.
Many people enjoy almonds in soups; almonds are also a popular snack, fragrant and sweet, and quite liked by children. But if consumed without moderation, it can lead to "poisoning."
Southern almonds are rich in vitamins and various trace elements. People suffering from lung diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, or high blood lipids may benefit from long-term consumption; however, the amount consumed each time should not exceed 15 grams, as sweet almonds also have some toxicity, and excessive consumption is not advisable.
The toxicity of northern almonds is tens of times higher than that of ordinary sweet almonds. Reports indicate that for children, accidentally consuming 10-20 bitter almonds, or for adults, 20-60 (equivalent to 6-18 grams), can cause poisoning and even lead to death. Therefore, whether taken as a decoction, stir-fried over low heat, used medicinally, or as food, the daily intake of bitter almonds should not exceed 15 grams.
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