A legend tells that between the bark and the flowers of the tree hides the soul of Princess Philide, who died of pain because of the lack of his Acamante, whom she believed died in the Troy war.
It was then that the compassion of a goddess turn the girl into the plant that we see today, and Acamante’s tears were turned into flowers. But the notoriety of almond tree is mainly due to its precious seed: the almond. Just think that during the Middle Ages almond oil was more frequent than olive oil in the kitchen. Almonds are rich source of fiber, protein, good fats which protect the heart, but also contain high concentrations of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that make these food really unique. Generally I always recommend eating almonds as a snack.
They are so precious as they contain both monounsaturates that tent to reduce LDL cholesterol and vitamin E high antioxidant power. In addition, 100 gr of almonds produce 860 mg of potassium, which helps to prevent hypertension, 4.6 mg of iron, 508 mg of phosphorus and 48 μg of total folate.
Some studies (Women Health Study and Nurses’ Study) testify that replacing a portion of complex sugars with dried fruits has led to 30% reduction in heart disease risk.