Did you know if you consume almonds in the United States that are labeled “Raw” they actually have been pasteurized?
The Drug Administration(FDA) forbids the sale of raw almonds for these reasons:
- Almonds are spontaneous combustion. Meaning raw almonds can light themselves on fire when stored under pressure. This is because of it’s high oil content and self heating properties.
- Almonds can develop Aflatoxin, which is a poison that causes fever and severe liver damage. That could lead to cirrhosis and necrosis. The mold Aspergillus loves to attach itself to almonds and Aspergillus produces Aflatoxin.
- Almonds also contain pathogenic diseases such as salmonella.
- Raw almonds that attend to be on the bitter side contain amygdalin which counter acts with the digestive tract and produces Prussic acid.
Other documented dangers concerning almonds have been linked to:
- Contribute to inflammation
- Contribute to herpes flare-ups
- Can lead to weight gain
Weight gain can easily occur when consuming almonds because almonds have a high fat content they are so calorically dense it’s easy to consume too many at one time. The amino acid arginine has a higher ratio than lysine in almonds which is one reason herpes flare-ups are quite common if you consume too many almonds.
Do not feed your dog almonds! They are not toxic like Walnuts but almonds are hard for your four legged friend to digest.
Tomorrow is almonds weekly round up!