What’s An Almond?
An almond tree is small, growing to between 4 and 10 meters in height, with a trunk of up to 30 centimetres in diameter.
The almond is a native to an area stretching from Pakistan, westwards to Syria, Israel, and Turkey. It can now be found in the United States, most commonly in California.
The word "almond" comes from Old French almande or alemande, late Latin amandola, derived through a form amingdola from the Greek αμυγδαλη (cf Amygdala), an almond.
Global production of almonds is around 1.7 million tons, with a low of 1 million tonnes in 1995 and a peak of 1.85 million tonnes in 2002 according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) figures.[8] According to the FAO, world production of almonds was 1.76 million tons in 2006. In the United States, production is concentrated in California, with almonds being California's third leading agricultural product and its top agricultural export in 2008. California produces 80% of the world’s almonds and 100% of the U.S. commercial supply. California exported almonds valued at 1.08 billion dollars in 2003, about 70% of total California almond crop.
Americans love Almonds primarily as a healthy snack food, alone or mixed with fruit or other foods.