Almond/Almond Oil

Scientific Name(s): Prunus dulcis (P. Mill) D.A. Webb
Common Name(s): Almond milk, Almond oil, Amygdale amara, Amygdalin, Bitermandel, Bitter almond, Ku wei bian tao, Laetrile, Oil of almonds, Sweet almond, Vitamin B17, Volatile almond oil

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 22, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Almonds are used as a dietary source of protein, unsaturated fats, minerals, micronutrients, phytochemicals, alpha-tocopheral, and fiber, as well as in confectioneries. The efficacy of almonds in altering the lipid profile is weakly supported by the literature; larger, more robust clinical trials of longer duration are required. The almond derivative laetrile/amygdalin has been used as an alternative cancer treatment, but there is no clinical evidence to support this use. Laetrile is banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and in Europe for use in cancer therapy.

Dosing

Trials of almond dietary supplementation in adults have used 25 to 168 g of almonds per day. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends the daily intake of nuts (28.35 to 56.7 g) as part of a healthy diet. There is no widely accepted standard for laetrile/amygdalin dosing due to the potential for toxicity and no evidence for efficacy.

Contraindications

Allergy to almonds or its products.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Consumption of bitter almond or laetrile is not recommended in pregnant or breast-feeding women because of insufficient data and a theoretical risk of birth defects. Consumption of sweet almond has generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status when used as food. Avoid dosages above those found in food because safety is unproven.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Adverse reactions similar to those of cyanide poisoning have been reported.

Toxicology

Cyanide poisoning and death have resulted from laetrile and bitter almond consumption.

Scientific Family

• Rosaceae

Botany

The almond, apricot, cherry, peach, and plum are members of the Rosaceae (rose) family. The almond is distinct because its seed is edible, while the outer pulp is hard, inedible, and juiceless. The genus Prunus (plum), to which the almond tree belongs, is synonymous with Amygdalus in the US Department of Agriculture's PLANTS database, but the literature remains confusing and often categorizes the sweet and bitter almond in different genera. Synonyms are Amygdalus communis L., Amygdalus dulcis P. Mill, Prunus amygdalus Batsch, Prunus communis (L.) Arcang., and Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb var. amara (DC.) Buchheim.1

The plant, a moderate-sized tree, was probably introduced to the United States from Eastern Europe or western Asia. The United States, especially California, is the world's major producer of almonds.2 Many varieties of the plant differ in flower color and form, as well as in the size of the fruit or shell. Plants with entirely pink flowers produce sweet almonds; those with flowers that are almost white at the tip of the petals and are red/pink at the base produce bitter almonds. When fully ripe, the green outer covering of the fruit dries and splits and the almond shell (endocarp) drops out. The almond seed is rounded at one end and pointed at the other, with a yellow, fibrous outer covering.1

History

References to the almond are found in Greek mythology, the Bible, and in Shakespeare's writings. In the Middle Ages, almonds already were commercially important.3

Amygdalin was isolated by French chemists in 1830, and reports of its use as an anticancer agent da...