Latin name: Prunus amygdalus
Place of origin: Western Asia, Mediterranean region
Description: Almond trees grow white flowers and drupes, which reveal their seed, also known as almonds when opened. Almond oil comes from the almond seeds (Cumo, 2013)
Historical medicinal use: Marie de Fouquet lists almond oil as an ingredient in multiple recipes, including one designed to make childbirth easier for women and another to help with the common cold (Fouquet, 1685).
Modern medicinal use: Recent medical trials suggest that almonds can reduce insulin resistance and one’s risk of heart disease (“Almonds”).
“Almonds.” The Nutrition Source, 2 Mar. 2022, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/almonds/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
Cumo, Christopher. Encyclopedia of Cultivated Plants: From Acacia to Zinnia. ABC-CLIO, 2013.
De Fouquet, Marie. Recueil des remèdes faciles et domestiques, choisis et expérimentés, et très approuvés pour toutes sortes de maladies internes et externes, et difficiles à guerir. 1685.