Almonds are nutritional nuts packed in a tiny shell. Almonds belong to the Rosaceae (rose) family, along with many other tree fruits such as peaches, apples, pears, plums, cherries, and apricots. It falls under the genus Prunus. Almond is very closely related to peaches and the two crops share the subgenus Amygdalus.

Almonds are used in a wide variety of products such as candies, snack bars, toppings on desserts such as cakes, ice-creams etc. A majority of almonds sold are shelled before the sale and only a small percentage is sold with the shell.  
Almond cultivation in the Middle East can be dated back to 3000 B.C. Wild almond trees grew in North Africa, West Asia, Greece and are now grown in Spain, Asia, Greece, and Italy. The United States is the largest producer of almonds in the world.

Almonds are considered to have many health benefits. They are rich in protein, minerals vitamins, and fibres. There are two varieties of almonds namely sweet almond (P. dulcis variety dulcis) and bitter almond (P. dulcis variety amara). Sweet almonds are the most commonly eaten ones. They are usually consumed as nuts, almond oil is used in cooking. Almonds may be eaten raw, blanched, or roasted and are commonly used in confectionery and baking.

In India, almonds are cultivated in warmer regions that include Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and West Bengal.

Some basic facts about Almonds:

• Scientific Name: Prunus dulcis
• Family: Rosaceae.
• Common Name: Almonds, Badam
• Common Hindi name: Badam
• Native Region and Geographical Distribution: Almond is a tree native to southwestern Asia. It is a member of the family Rosaceae, Prunus dulcis is an economically important crop tree which is grown mainly in Mediterranean climates The U.S. produces nearly 70 percent of the world’s total production. More than 25 types of almonds are grown in California. Marcona and Valencia almonds come from Spain, and ferragnes almonds are imported from Greece. The almond tree is also grown in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North Africa.
• Fun fact: Almonds actually belong to the rose family and are frequently called “the Queen of the rose family.”

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