Sweet Almond
OTHER NAME(S): Almendro Dulce, Amande, Amandier, Almond, Almond Extract, Almond Oil, Amande Douce, Amandier à Fruits Doux, Amandier Doux, Amendoa Doce, Amygdala Dulcis, Expressed Almond Oil, Extrait d'Amande, Fixed Almond Oil, Huile d'Amande, Huile d'Amande Douce, Mandorla Dolce, Mindal' Sladkii, Suessmandel, Suessmandelbaum, Sweet Almond Oil, Zoete Amandel, Prunus dulcis, Amygdalus communis var. dulcis, Prunus amygdalus var. sativa, Prunus amygdalus var. dulcis, Almond, Almonds, Almendra Dulce, Amande douce
Overview
Sweet almond (Prunus dulcis) is a type of nut consumed in the diet. Sweet almond and its oil are also used as medicine.
Sweet almond contains fiber, fatty acids, and other plant compounds. These compounds might help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. Sweet almond might also help people stick to diets when trying to lose weight.
People use sweet almond for high cholesterol, obesity, constipation, diabetes, aging skin, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Sweet almond is a tree nut. Tree nuts are considered major food allergens in the US. Sweet almond contents must be labeled on packaged food and supplement products. Don't confuse sweet almond with bitter almond or apricot kernel. These are not the same.
Almond milk should not be used as the only source of nutrition for infants and young children. Almond milk may contain different levels of nutrients, such as calcium or phosphorus, compared to regular cow's milk or infant formula.
Uses
We currently have no information for Sweet Almond overview.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Sweet almonds are commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if sweet almond is safe to use as medicine. Some people might be allergic to sweet almond.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if sweet almond is safe. It might cause side effects such as itching and redness.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Sweet almonds are commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if sweet almond is safe to use as medicine. Some people might be allergic to sweet almond.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if sweet almond is safe. It might cause side effects such as itching and redness.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Sweet almonds are commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if sweet almond is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Eating large amounts of sweet almond might worsen pain and diarrhea in people with IBS.
Kidney stones: Drinking sweet almond milk has been linked with bladder and kidney problems in children at risk of kidney stones. Avoid drinking large amounts of sweet almond milk if you are at risk for kidney stones.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Sweet Almond overview.
Dosing
Sweet almonds are commonly eaten as food. As medicine, sweet almost has most often been used by adults in doses of 40-80 grams by mouth daily for up to 24 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.
References
- Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
- Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, et al. Frequent nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in women: prospective cohort study. BMJ 1998;317:1341-5.
- Sang S, Kikuzaki H, Lapsley K, et al. Sphingolipid and other constituents from almond nuts (Prunus amygdalus Batsch). J Agric Food Chem 2002;50:4709-12.
- Sang S, Lapsley K, Jeong WS, et al. Antioxidative phenolic compounds isolated from almond skins (Prunus amygdalus Batsch). J Agric Food Chem 2002;50:2459-63.
- Sang S, Lapsley K, Rosen RT, Ho CT. New prenylated benzoic acid and other constituents from almond hulls (Prunus amygdalus Batsch). J Agric Food Chem 2002;50:607-9.
- Kyle, G. Evaluating the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing levels of anxiety in palliative care patients: results of a pilot study. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2006;12(2):148-155.
- Teotia, S., Singh, M., and Pant, M. C. Effect of Prunus amygdalus seeds on lipid profile. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 1997;41(4):383-389.
- Spiller, G. A., Jenkins, D. J., Cragen, L. N., Gates, J. E., Bosello, O., Berra, K., Rudd, C., Stevenson, M., and Superko, R. Effect of a diet high in monounsaturated fat from almonds on plasma cholesterol and lipoproteins. J Am Coll.Nutr 1992;11(2):126-130.
- Grundy, S. M. Monounsaturated fatty acids, plasma cholesterol, and coronary heart disease. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 1987;45(5 Suppl):1168-1175.
- Abbey, M., Noakes, M., Belling, G. B., and Nestel, P. J. Partial replacement of saturated fatty acids with almonds or walnuts lowers total plasma cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59(5):995-999.
- Teotia, S. and Singh, M. Hypoglycemic effect of Prunus amygdalus seeds in albino rabbits. Indian J Exp.Biol. 1997;35(3):295-296.
- Spiller, G. A., Jenkins, D. A., Bosello, O., Gates, J. E., Cragen, L. N., and Bruce, B. Nuts and plasma lipids: an almond-based diet lowers LDL-C while preserving HDL-C. J Am Coll.Nutr 1998;17(3):285-290.
- Maiche A. Effect of chamomile cream and almond ointment on acute radiation skin reaction. Acta Oncol 1991;30(3):395-396.
- Hajhashemi M, Rafieian M, Rouhi Boroujeni HA, Miraj S, Memarian S, et al. The effect of Aloe vera gel and sweet almond oil on striae gravidarum in nulliparous women. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2018 Jul;31(13):1703-1708. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2017.1325865.
- Dhillon J, Tan SY, Mattes RD. Effects of almond consumption on the post-lunch dip and long-term cognitive function in energy-restricted overweight and obese adults. Br J Nutr. 2017;117(3):395-402.
- Dhillon J, Tan SY, Mattes RD. Almond consumption during energy restriction lowers truncal fat and blood pressure in compliant overweight or obese adults. J Nutr. 2016;146(12):2513-2519.
- Chen CY, Holbrook M, Duess MA, et al. Effect of almond consumption on vascular function in patients with coronary artery disease: a randomized, controlled, cross-over trial. Nutr J. 2015;14:61.
- Berryman CE, West SG, Fleming JA, Bordi PL, Kris-Etherton PM. Effects of daily almond consumption on cardiometabolic risk and abdominal adiposity in healthy adults with elevated LDL-cholesterol: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015;4(1):e000993.
- Nishi S, Kendall CW, Gascoyne AM, et al. Effect of almond consumption on the serum fatty acid profile: a dose-response study. Br J Nutr. 2014;112(7):1137-46.
- Li SC, Liu YH, Liu JF, Chang WH, Chen CM, Chen CY. Almond consumption improved glycemic control and lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. 2011;60(4):474-9.
- Ellis D, Lieb J. Hyperoxaluria and genitourinary disorders in children ingesting almond milk products. J Pediatr. 2015;167(5):1155-8.
- Cohen AE, Johnston CS. Almond ingestion at mealtime reduces postprandial glycemia and chronic ingestion reduces hemoglobin A(1c) in individuals with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. 2011;60(9):1312-7.
- Foolad N, Vaughn AR, Rybak I, et al. Prospective randomized controlled pilot study on the effects of almond consumption on skin lipids and wrinkles. Phytother Res. 2019;33(12):3212-3217.
- Motaharifard MS, Effatpanah M, Karimi M, et al. Effect of sweet almond syrup versus methylphenidate in children with ADHD: A randomized triple-blind clinical trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2019;36:170-175.
- Ghafarzadeh J, Sadeghniiat-Haghighi K, Sadeghpour O, Akbarpour S, Amini-Behbahani F. Investigating the prevalence of sleep disorder and the impact of sweet almond on the quality of sleep in students of Tehran, Iran. Iran J Public Health. 2019;48(6):1149-1154.
- Darvishmoghadam S, Ansari M, Ahmadipour H, et al. Assessment of the effect of sachet formulation of almond (Amygdalus dulcis L.) on diarrhea prominent irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) symptoms: A clinical trial. Complement Ther Med. 2019;45:242-247.
- Zibaeenezhad MJ, Ostovan P, Mosavat SH, Zamirian M, Attar A. Almond oil for patients with hyperlipidemia: A randomized open-label controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Med. 2019;42:33-36.
- Hou YY, Ojo O, Wang LL, et al. A randomized controlled trial to compare the effect of peanuts and almonds on the cardio-metabolic and inflammatory parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrients. 2018;10(11). pii: E1565.
- Simon D, Nobbe S, Nägeli M, et al. Short- and long-term effects of two emollients on itching and skin restoration in xerotic eczema. Dermatol Ther. 2018;31(6):e12692.
- Liu Y, Hwang HJ, Kim HS, Park H. Time and intervention effects of daily almond intake on the changes of lipid profile and body composition among free-living healthy adults. J Med Food. 2018;21(4):340-347.
- Jung H, Chen CO, Blumberg JB, Kwak HK. The effect of almonds on vitamin E status and cardiovascular risk factors in Korean adults: a randomized clinical trial. Eur J Nutr. 2018;57(6):2069-2079.
- FDA. Qualified Health Claims: Letter of Enforcement Discretion - Nuts and Coronary Heart Disease (Docket No 02P-0505). July 2003. Available at: https://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20171114183724/https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm072926.htm. Accessed on March 6, 2020.
- Food and Drug Administration. Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA); Public Law 108-282, Title II. Accessed on May 19, 2021. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergensgluten-free-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/food-allergen-labeling-and-consumer-protection-act-2004-falcpa.
- Eslampour E, Moodi V, Asbaghi O, et al. The effect of almond intake on anthropometric indices: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Food Funct 2020;11(9):7340-7355.
- Dikariyanto V, Smith L, Francis L, et al. Snacking on whole almonds for 6 weeks improves endothelial function and lowers LDL cholesterol but does not affect liver fat and other cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy adults: the ATTIS study, a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2020;111(6):1178-1189.
- Coates AM, Morgillo S, Yandell C, et al. Effect of a 12-Week Almond-Enriched Diet on Biomarkers of Cognitive Performance, Mood, and Cardiometabolic Health in Older Overweight Adults. Nutrients 2020;12(4):1180.
- Eslampour E, Asbaghi O, Hadi A, et al. The effect of almond intake on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med 2020;50:102399.
- Asbaghi O, Moodi V, Neisi A, et al. The effect of almond intake on glycemic control: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2022;36(1):395-414.
- Ward SJ, Hill AM, Buckley JD, et al. Minimal changes in telomere length after a 12-week dietary intervention with almonds in mid-age to older, overweight and obese Australians: results of a randomised clinical trial. Br J Nutr 2022;127(6):872-884.
- Carter S, Hill AM, Buckley JD, Tan SY, Rogers GB, Coates AM. Acute feeding with almonds compared to a carbohydrate-based snack improves appetite-regulating hormones with no effect on self-reported appetite sensations: a randomised controlled trial. Eur J Nutr 2023;62(2):857-866.
- Gulati S, Misra A, Tiwari R, et al. Premeal almond load decreases postprandial glycaemia, adiposity and reversed prediabetes to normoglycemia: A randomized controlled trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2023;54:12-22.
- Luo B, Mohammad WT, Jalil AT, et al. Effects of almond intake on oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Complement Ther Med 2023;73:102935.
- Faghihi A, Zohalinezhad ME, Najafi Kalyani M. Comparison of the Effects of Abdominal Massage and Oral Administration of Sweet Almond Oil on Constipation and Quality of Life among Elderly Individuals: A Single-Blind Clinical Trial. Biomed Res Int 2022;2022:9661939.
- Hariri M, Amirkalali B, Baradaran HR, Gholami A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of almond effect on C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in adults. Complement Ther Med 2023;72:102911.
- Dhillon J, Newman JW, Fiehn O, Ortiz RM. Almond Consumption for 8 Weeks Altered Host and Microbial Metabolism in Comparison to a Control Snack in Young Adults. J Am Nutr Assoc 2023;42(3):242-254.
- Morvaridzadeh M, Qorbani M, Shokati Eshkiki Z, et al. The effect of almond intake on cardiometabolic risk factors, inflammatory markers, and liver enzymes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res 2022;36(12):4325-4344.
- Carter S, Hill AM, Mead LC, et al. Almonds vs. carbohydrate snacks in an energy-restricted diet: Weight and cardiometabolic outcomes from a randomized trial. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2023;31(10):2467-2481.
- Chahibakhsh N, Rafieipour N, Rahimi H, et al. Almond supplementation on appetite measures, body weight, and body composition in adults: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of 37 randomized controlled trials. Obes Rev 2024;25(5):e13711.
- Gravesteijn E, Mensink RP, Plat J. The effects of long-term almond consumption on whole-body insulin sensitivity, postprandial glucose responses, and 48 h continuous glucose concentrations in males and females with prediabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Nutr 2023;62(6):2661-2672.
- Salama M, Tebben PJ, Al Nofal A. An infant developing hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia due to the use of exclusively almond milk. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2024;37(4):375-379.