Dry Whole Milk is simply whole milk that has had the water removed through a dehydration process.

Description of raw materials used in production. 

• The primary raw material is whole milk, which is obtained from cows. Pasteurization may be required before the drying process to ensure the product is free from harmful bacteria.

Step-by-step summary of industrial process.

• Collection and pasteurization of milk. Milk is collected from cows and then pasteurized to kill off any pathogenic microorganisms.
• Standardization. The milk may be standardized to ensure consistent fat content.
• Preconcentration. The milk is concentrated by evaporation to remove some of the water.
• Drying. The concentrated milk is then dried, typically through spray or drum drying, to further remove water and produce milk powder.

Form and color. Dry whole milk typically appears as a white or slightly yellowish powder and is homogeneous and free-flowing.

Commercial applications. 

Dry whole milk is widely used across various sectors of the food industry, such as baking, confectionery, and chocolate-making, as well as in ready-to-use food products like cake mixes, creams, and beverages.

It is used in the food field for some features:

• Makes the dough better
• Softens baked goods
• Long storage
• Reduced space

Cow's milk is used in many applications:

• uman nutrition
• animal nutrition
• food industry
• cosmetics
• medicine

With regard to  human nutrition, cow's milk is treated industrially with the pasteurization process to destroy pathogenic bacteria that can cause risks to human health.

We find it on the market as:

• Fresh whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized within 48 hours of milking

• Fresh pasteurized whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized several times after 48 hours of milking

• Skim milk 38 kcal/100g

degreased

• Partially skimmed milk 48 kcal/100g

Partially degreased

• ESL milk

microfiltered

• UHT milk

homogenized and preheated to 135 degrees

The industry uses cow’s milk mainly in these forms:

• Milk powder

dehydrated

• Whole milk powder

dehydrated

• Skim milk powder

dehydrated

• Dehydrated skim milk

dehydrated

• Rehydrated skim milk

dehydrated and subsequently rehydrated

The most natural form of cow's milk is raw milk, directly harvested after milking, which must be immediately stored in the refrigerator and drunk only after boiling to eliminate microbiological risks.

The advantages (for those who are not allergic) of cow's milk are manifold as cow's milk is a source of carbohydrates, calcium, proteins and other interesting nutrients that can lead to an increase in the concentration of amino acids resulting in improved muscle function (1).

Consumption of 500 mL milk attenuated losses in muscle function following repeated sprinting and jumping and thus may be a valuable recovery intervention for female team-sport athletes following this type of exercise (2).

Milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence: studies on the effects of milk or whey extracts show positive effects on bone health or risk of hip fracture. Nevertheless a few contradictory epidemiological studies showed an increased risk of hip fractures in subjects drinking higher quantities of milk (3).

Rural life is considered a promising system against asthma and allergies. Although this associative mechanism has not been fully clarified, this study presents an up-to-date under standing of the protective effect of raw milk on allergies and asthma (4).

Cow's milk studies

Cow's milk allergy studies

References____________________________________________________

(1) The effect of milk on recovery from repeat-sprint cycling in female team-sport athletes.  Rankin P, Lawlor MJ, Hills FA, Bell PG, Stevenson EJ, Cockburn E.  Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018 Feb;43(2):113-122. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0275.

(2) Milk: An Effective Recovery Drink for Female Athletes.  Rankin P, Landy A, Stevenson E, Cockburn E.  Nutrients. 2018 Feb 17;10(2). pii: E228. doi: 10.3390/nu10020228.

(3) The effect of milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence, an update.  Fardellone P.  Aging Clin Exp Res. 2019 Jun;31(6):759-764. doi: 10.1007/s40520-019-01192-9.

(4) Raw Cow's Milk and Its Protective Effect on Allergies and Asthma.  Sozańska B.  Nutrients. 2019 Feb 22;11(2). pii: E469. doi: 10.3390/nu11020469. Review.

(5) World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines  Alessandro Fiocchi, (Chair), Jan Brozek, Holger Schünemann, (Chair), Sami L. Bahna, Andrea von Berg, Kirsten Beyer, Martin Bozzola, Julia Bradsher, Enrico Compalati, Motohiro Ebisawa, Maria Antonieta Guzman, Haiqi Li, Ralf G. Heine, Paul Keith, Gideon Lack, Massimo Landi, Alberto Martelli, Fabienne Rancé, Hugh Sampson, Airton Stein, Luigi Terracciano, and Stefan Vieths  World Allergy Organ J. 2010 Apr; 3(4): 57–161.  10.1097/WOX.0b013e3181defeb9

Palm is a name used not only to refer to the plant of the same name, but also to indicate, in food and cosmetic labels, palm oil.

Palm oil is obtained from the pulp of the plant by a process of breaking the plant and squeezing the marrow.

There are two oil extraction systems:

• dry: mechanical presses are used to crush the plant
• wet: hot water is used to filter the oil

The resulting product is impure, as there are plant residues, cellular debris and fibrous material. Then the hot water is inserted so as to form a barrier in which the solids fall towards the bottom of the container, releasing the oil that will pass through sieves.

The mixture thus obtained and liberated from extraneous substances is boiled for an hour or two and the palm oil, lighter than the water, rises to the surface and is decanted.

Then the oil goes to another stage where it is still heated and skimmed by impurities that will be used either for saponification or for fuel. The ashes have a high potassium content and are therefore useful for fertilizing.

Due to its low cost, this oil is a widespread nutritional source in developing countries.

It contains a high content of saturated fats and palmitic acid.

In the food industry it is used for two reasons:

• it's cheap
• preserves for longer the foods in which it is added

However, recent studies have shown that a connection has been established between this oil and certain cardiovascular disorders (1) especially when this oil is heated (2).

Since its inception in food, this oil was first challenged for the deforestation it produces as farmers and companies producing it tend to clear forests and woodlands to extract it, given the high demand. Later, however, as early as 1991, attention was paid to the health issue with studies finding it difficult to interpret the evidence for this oil unambiguously with respect to coronary heart disease and cancer (3).

Studies from 2004 drew attention to the risk that this oil could create, if oxidized and that is, not fresh, with the creation of a negative lipid profile, toxicity to kidney, lung, liver and heart, while red palm oil, by virtue of its beta carotene content could protect against vitamin A deficiency and some forms of cancer (4).

There is a strong component of saturated fatty acids in palm oil, particularly palmitic acid, and these ldel 2014 studies confirm this (5).

Another 2015 study reiterates the high saturated fat content and provides not encouraging findings on the increase in harmful LDL cholesterol (6).

At the level of comparison, between palm oil and sunflower oil, it is confirmed that palm oil as a highly saturated vegetable oil can induce dysfunction of liver lipid metabolism before touching serum lipid levels. Sunflower oil, on the other hand, a highly unsaturated vegetable oil, has been shown to be well metabolized in the liver (7).

All these studies agree in attributing to palm oil a high saturated fat content and, in a long and articulate examination of the biological and nutritional properties of this oil by a group of researchers at the University of Naples, controversial results from a health perspective (8).

A study aimed at detecting the mutations produced in palm oil, used as frying oil for potato chips, found that, at temperatures of 150, 165 and 180° thermo-oxidative alterations, changes in fatty acid composition and color alteration are produced. In summary, the higher the temperature, the more the oxidation of palm oil increases (9).

Another problem related to palm oil is the increasing deforestation carried out to plant huge quantities of palm trees.

There is also a "red" palm oil on the market with slightly better physical characteristics and taste.

Palm oil studies

References__________________________________________________________________

(1) Chen BK, Seligman B, Farquhar Multi-Country analysis of palm oil consumption and cardiovascular disease mortality for countries at different stages of economic development: 1980-1997. Global Health. 2011 Dec 16;7(1):45. doi: 10.1186/1744-8603-7-45.

(2) Xian TK, Omar NA, Ying LW, Hamzah A, Raj S, Jaarin K, Othman F, Hussan F.  Reheated palm oil consumption and risk of atherosclerosis: evidence at ultrastructural level.  Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:828170. doi: 10.1155/2012/828170.

(3)  Cottrell RC. Introduction: nutritional aspects of palm oil.  Am J Clin Nutr. 1991 Apr;53(4 Suppl):989S-1009S. Review.

(4)  Edem DO. Palm oil: biochemical, physiological, nutritional, hematological, and toxicological aspects: a review.  Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2002 Fall;57(3-4):319-41. Review.

(5) Fattore E, Bosetti C, Brighenti F, Agostoni C, Fattore G. Palm oil and blood lipid-related markers of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary intervention trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jun;99(6):1331-50. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.081190.

(6)  Sun Y, Neelakantan N, Wu Y, Lote-Oke R, Pan A, van Dam RM.  Palm Oil Consumption Increases LDL Cholesterol Compared with Vegetable Oils Low in Saturated Fat in a Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. J Nutr. 2015 Jul;145(7):1549-58. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.210575. Epub 2015 May 20. 

(7) Go RE, Hwang KA, Kim YS, Kim SH, Nam KH, Choi KC. Effects of palm and sunflower oils on serum cholesterol and fatty liver in rats. 
J Med Food. 2015 Mar;18(3):363-9. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2014.3163. 

(8) Biological and Nutritional Properties of Palm Oil and Palmitic Acid: Effects on Health http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/20/9/17339

(9) Aniołowska M, Kita A. The effect of frying on glycidyl esters content in palm oil.  Food Chem. 2016 Jul 15;203:95-103. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.02.028. Epub 2016 Feb 3.  

Egg yolk is composed of 70% lipids and 30% proteins. It contains carotenoids such as zeaxanthin and lutein, vitamins.

Egg yolk has a high content of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, which can promote cardiovascular disease. One egg yolk  contains between 200 mg and 300 mg of cholesterol/100 g (1).

Egg yolk can increase the risk of microbial contamination and reduce the shelf life of products (2) ; for this reason, there is more interest in introducing new emulsifiers as alternatives to egg yolk. Some suitable options are hydrocolloids and polysaccharides (3).

Hen egg yolk has been studied and the effects of its antibodies on the immune responses of the intestinal mucosa of laboratory animals with Salmonella typhimurium have been determined. The results suggest a positive immune response (4).

Oral administration of hen's egg yolk influenced behaviour and cognitive functions in young and aged rats. It primarily led to mitigating the behavioural symptoms of aging and supported cognitive and memory learning in rats of both age groups (5).

Egg yolk studies

References______________________________________________________________________

(1)  Bautista Villarreal M, Gallardo Rivera CT, García Márquez E, Rodríguez Rodríguez J, Núñez González MA, Chávez Montes A, Báez González JG. Comparative Reduction of Egg Yolk Cholesterol Using Anionic Chelating Agents.  Molecules. 2018 Dec 5;23(12). pii: E3204. doi: 10.3390/molecules23123204.

(2) Abedinzadeh S, Torbati M, Azadmard-Damirchi S. Some Qualitative and Rheological Properties of Virgin Olive Oil- Apple Vinegar Salad Dressing Stabilized With Xanthan Gum   -   Adv Pharm Bull. 2016 Dec;6(4):597-606. doi: 10.15171/apb.2016.074. 

(3) Dickinson E. Hydrocolloids at interfaces and the influence on the properties of dispersed systems. Food Hydrocoll. 2003;17(1):25–39. doi: 10.1016/S0268-005X(01)00120-5

(4)  Li X, Yao Y, Wang X, Zhen Y,  Chicken egg yolk antibodies (IgY) modulate the intestinal mucosal immune response in a mouse model of Salmonella typhimurium infection.  Thacker PA, Wang L, Shi M, Zhao J, Zong Y, Wang N, Xu Y.   -   Int Immunopharmacol. 2016 Jul

(5)  Lemieszewska M, Jakubik-Witkowska M, Stańczykiewicz B, Zambrowicz A, Zabłocka A, Polanowski A, Trziszka T, Rymaszewska  Pro-Cognitive Properties of the Immunomodulatory Polypeptide Complex, Yolkin, from Chicken Egg Yolk and Colostrum-Derived Substances: Analyses Based on Animal Model of Age-Related Cognitive Deficits.  J.  Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2016 Oct

Corn meal is a fine powder made by grinding corn kernels. It is a common ingredient in many cuisines around the world and is used to prepare a variety of dishes, from Italian polenta to Mexican tortillas.

Corn meal has ancient roots in the indigenous cultures of the Americas. Before the arrival of Europeans, native civilizations used corn as a staple food and developed techniques like nixtamalization, a process that increases the nutritional availability of corn.

Production

After harvesting, corn kernels can undergo nixtamalization, where they are cooked in an alkaline solution and then ground, producing a flour called masa. Otherwise, they can be directly ground to produce corn meal. The grinding can be coarse or fine depending on the intended use.

Health Benefits

Digestion - The fiber in corn meal aids in digestion and can prevent constipation.

Antioxidants - Corn contains antioxidants that can help combat free radicals in the body.

Eye Health - Yellow corn is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which can promote eye health.

Cultural Considerations

In many cultures, corn meal holds cultural and spiritual significance. For instance, in Italy, polenta has a long history and is often associated with certain regions and traditions.

Milk is a nutrient-rich liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It serves as the primary source of nutrition for infant mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk is composed of water, fat, proteins, lactose (milk sugar), minerals, vitamins, and enzymes.

Production

• Milking. Modern dairies use automated milking machines to extract milk from cows, goats, or other milk-producing animals.
• Pasteurization. To ensure that milk is safe for consumption, it is heated to a specific temperature for a set period to kill harmful bacteria. This process is called pasteurization.
• Homogenization. This is a process that breaks down fat molecules in milk so that they stay integrated rather than separating as cream. It gives milk a uniform consistency.
• Packaging. Once processed, milk is packaged in bottles, cartons, or bags and is ready for distribution.

Benefits

Nutritional Value. Milk is a rich source of essential nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins A and D.

Bone Health. The calcium and vitamin D in milk are crucial for bone health and can help prevent osteoporosis.

Muscle Growth. Milk is a good source of protein, which is essential for muscle growth and repair.

Hydration. Being primarily composed of water, milk helps in hydration.

Digestive Health Some fermented milk products, like yogurt, contain probiotics that can benefit digestive health.

Other Points

Lactose Intolerance. Some people cannot digest lactose, the sugar in milk, due to a deficiency in the enzyme lactase. They may experience digestive discomfort after consuming milk or milk products.

Varieties. There are various types of milk available in the market, including whole milk, skimmed milk, 2% milk, lactose-free milk, and plant-based alternatives like almond, soy, and oat milk.

Uses. Apart from direct consumption, milk is used to produce a variety of products like cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, and many baked goods.

Milk has been a staple in human diets for thousands of years and continues to be valued for its nutritional benefits and versatility in cooking and baking.

Cow's milk is used in many applications:

• uman nutrition
• animal nutrition
• food industry
• cosmetics
• medicine

With regard to  human nutrition, cow's milk is treated industrially with the pasteurization process to destroy pathogenic bacteria that can cause risks to human health.

We find it on the market as:

• Fresh whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized within 48 hours of milking

• Fresh pasteurized whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized several times after 48 hours of milking

• Skim milk 38 kcal/100g

degreased

• Partially skimmed milk 48 kcal/100g

Partially degreased

• ESL milk

microfiltered

• UHT milk

homogenized and preheated to 135 degrees

The industry uses cow’s milk mainly in these forms:

• Milk powder

dehydrated

• Whole milk powder

dehydrated

• Skim milk powder

dehydrated

• Dehydrated skim milk

dehydrated

• Rehydrated skim milk

dehydrated and subsequently rehydrated

The most natural form of cow's milk is raw milk, directly harvested after milking, which must be immediately stored in the refrigerator and drunk only after boiling to eliminate microbiological risks.

The advantages (for those who are not allergic) of cow's milk are manifold as cow's milk is a source of carbohydrates, calcium, proteins and other interesting nutrients that can lead to an increase in the concentration of amino acids resulting in improved muscle function (1).

Consumption of 500 mL milk attenuated losses in muscle function following repeated sprinting and jumping and thus may be a valuable recovery intervention for female team-sport athletes following this type of exercise (2).

Milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence: studies on the effects of milk or whey extracts show positive effects on bone health or risk of hip fracture. Nevertheless a few contradictory epidemiological studies showed an increased risk of hip fractures in subjects drinking higher quantities of milk (3).

Rural life is considered a promising system against asthma and allergies. Although this associative mechanism has not been fully clarified, this study presents an up-to-date under standing of the protective effect of raw milk on allergies and asthma (4).

Cow's milk studies

Cow's milk allergy studies

References____________________________________________________

(1) Lawlor MJ, Hills FA, Bell PG, Stevenson EJ, Cockburn E. The effect of milk on recovery from repeat-sprint cycling in female team-sport athletes.  Rankin P,   Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018 Feb;43(2):113-122. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0275.

(2) Rankin P, Landy A, Stevenson E, Cockburn E.  Milk: An Effective Recovery Drink for Female Athletes.  Nutrients. 2018 Feb 17;10(2). pii: E228. doi: 10.3390/nu10020228.

(3) Fardellone P. The effect of milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence, an update.   Aging Clin Exp Res. 2019 Jun;31(6):759-764. doi: 10.1007/s40520-019-01192-9.

(4) Sozańska B.   Raw Cow's Milk and Its Protective Effect on Allergies and Asthma.  Nutrients. 2019 Feb 22;11(2). pii: E469. doi: 10.3390/nu11020469. Review.

(5) World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines  Alessandro Fiocchi, (Chair), Jan Brozek, Holger Schünemann, (Chair), Sami L. Bahna, Andrea von Berg, Kirsten Beyer, Martin Bozzola, Julia Bradsher, Enrico Compalati, Motohiro Ebisawa, Maria Antonieta Guzman, Haiqi Li, Ralf G. Heine, Paul Keith, Gideon Lack, Massimo Landi, Alberto Martelli, Fabienne Rancé, Hugh Sampson, Airton Stein, Luigi Terracciano, and Stefan Vieths  World Allergy Organ J. 2010 Apr; 3(4): 57–161.  10.1097/WOX.0b013e3181defeb9

Nonfat milk is low in fats, as the cream is almost completely removed and provides protein, vitamins, and minerals with reduced fat content. Fat content is less than 0.5%. It consists of water, proteins (mainly casein and whey), lactose, vitamins, and minerals.

Description of raw materials used in production.

• The primary raw material for producing skim milk is whole milk, sourced from cows.

Step-by-step summary of the industrial production process.

• Raw milk is collected from cows and transported to a processing facility.
• The raw milk then undergoes pasteurization to eliminate pathogenic bacteria.
• It is then subjected to centrifugation, a process that separates the fat from the rest of the milk.
• The fat is removed, resulting in skim milk.
• The skim milk may be further treated or packaged for sale.

Skim milk is a thinner liquid compared to whole milk and has a slightly bluish tint due to the absence of fat.

Cow's milk is used in many applications:

• uman nutrition
• animal nutrition
• food industry
• cosmetics
• medicine

With regard to  human nutrition, cow's milk is treated industrially with the pasteurization process to destroy pathogenic bacteria that can cause risks to human health.

We find it on the market as:

• Fresh whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized within 48 hours of milking

• Fresh pasteurized whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized several times after 48 hours of milking

• Skim milk 38 kcal/100g

degreased

• Partially skimmed milk 48 kcal/100g

Partially degreased

• ESL milk

microfiltered

• UHT milk

homogenized and preheated to 135 degrees

The industry uses cow’s milk mainly in these forms:

• Milk powder

dehydrated

• Whole milk powder

dehydrated

• Skim milk powder

dehydrated

• Dehydrated skim milk

dehydrated

• Rehydrated skim milk

dehydrated and subsequently rehydrated

The most natural form of cow's milk is raw milk, directly harvested after milking, which must be immediately stored in the refrigerator and drunk only after boiling to eliminate microbiological risks.

The advantages (for those who are not allergic) of cow's milk are manifold as cow's milk is a source of carbohydrates, calcium, proteins and other interesting nutrients that can lead to an increase in the concentration of amino acids resulting in improved muscle function (1).

Consumption of 500 mL milk attenuated losses in muscle function following repeated sprinting and jumping and thus may be a valuable recovery intervention for female team-sport athletes following this type of exercise (2).

Milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence: studies on the effects of milk or whey extracts show positive effects on bone health or risk of hip fracture. Nevertheless a few contradictory epidemiological studies showed an increased risk of hip fractures in subjects drinking higher quantities of milk (3).

Rural life is considered a promising system against asthma and allergies. Although this associative mechanism has not been fully clarified, this study presents an up-to-date under standing of the protective effect of raw milk on allergies and asthma (4).

Cow's milk studies

Cow's milk allergy studies

References____________________________________________________

(1) Lawlor MJ, Hills FA, Bell PG, Stevenson EJ, Cockburn E. The effect of milk on recovery from repeat-sprint cycling in female team-sport athletes.  Rankin P,   Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018 Feb;43(2):113-122. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0275.

(2) Rankin P, Landy A, Stevenson E, Cockburn E.  Milk: An Effective Recovery Drink for Female Athletes.   Nutrients. 2018 Feb 17;10(2). pii: E228. doi: 10.3390/nu10020228.

(3)  Fardellone P.  The effect of milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence, an update. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2019 Jun;31(6):759-764. doi: 10.1007/s40520-019-01192-9.

(4) Sozańska B.  Raw Cow's Milk and Its Protective Effect on Allergies and Asthma.  Nutrients. 2019 Feb 22;11(2). pii: E469. doi: 10.3390/nu11020469. Review.

(5) World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines  Alessandro Fiocchi, (Chair), Jan Brozek, Holger Schünemann, (Chair), Sami L. Bahna, Andrea von Berg, Kirsten Beyer, Martin Bozzola, Julia Bradsher, Enrico Compalati, Motohiro Ebisawa, Maria Antonieta Guzman, Haiqi Li, Ralf G. Heine, Paul Keith, Gideon Lack, Massimo Landi, Alberto Martelli, Fabienne Rancé, Hugh Sampson, Airton Stein, Luigi Terracciano, and Stefan Vieths  World Allergy Organ J. 2010 Apr; 3(4): 57–161.  10.1097/WOX.0b013e3181defeb9

Almonds are the fruit of the tree Prunus dulcis or Prunus amygdalus dulcis that has Asian origins and belongs to the Rosaceae family.

The terms "Prunus dulcis" and "Prunus amygdalus dulcis" both refer to the almond tree. However, they represent slightly different naming conventions and can sometimes cause confusion.

• Prunus dulcis is a more modern and accepted scientific name for the almond tree. It's the name used to classify the species that produce the almond nuts we commonly eat.
• Prunus amygdalus dulcis is a bit more complicated, as it breaks down into two main forms. "Prunus amygdalus" is an older classification, and the "dulcis" part was used to specify the sweet almond variety (as opposed to "Prunus amygdalus amara," which refers to the bitter almond variety).

Almond is energetic: in 100 grams we find about 690 kcalories.

It has many varieties, but the best known are

• sweet almonds - used in the food industry.
• bitter almond - used in cosmetics and other - very dangerous if ingested.

The sweet almond is rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, magnesium.
Its components can regulate the homeostasis of glucose. It is hypocholesterolemic (1), has an antioxidant action (2) and is an adjuvant for cardiovascular risks (3).

This study found a statistically significant association between high frequency of peanuts, pine nuts, and almonds consumption and reduced risk of colorectal cancer (4).

From the sweet almond you get :

• almond milk. Energy drink
• almond oil. Soothing and anti-itching

For a rather common industrial by-product of almonds, almond milk, especially sweetened versions, care must be taken because they have a cariogenic potential (5).

While the sweet almond has many beneficial properties for human health, the bitter almond is toxic: even at relatively small doses as 5 or 6 are sufficient to cause poisoning. It can be fatal at higher doses. The bitter taste, connected to a component, the amygdalin, fortunately, discourages from ingestion.

The bitter almond is obtained after purification of the hydrocyanic acid it contains:

• almond oil. Used in cosmetics for skin care
• almond butter. Used in skin care cosmetics
• almond extract Used for shampooing and cosmetics.

This study reviews and comments on almond clinical trials with particular reference to biomarkers of health and the gut micrtobiota (6).

Almond studies

Bibliografia__________________________________________________________________

(1) Kamil A, Chen CY.  Health Benefits of Almonds beyond Cholesterol Reduction.   J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Feb 17. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Jul 11;60(27):6694-702. doi: 10.1021/jf2044795.

(2) Barreira JC, Ferreira IC, Oliveira MB, Pereira JA. Antioxidant potential of chestnut (Castanea sativa L.) and almond (Prunus dulcis L.) by-products.    Food Sci Technol Int. 2010 Jun;16(3):209-16. doi: 10.1177/1082013209353983. 

(3) Damasceno NR, Pérez-Heras A, Serra M, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, Salas-Salvadó J, Ros E.  Crossover study of diets enriched with virgin olive oil, walnuts or almonds. Effects on lipids and other cardiovascular risk markers.   Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Jun;21 Suppl 1:S14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2010.12.006. 

(4) Lee J, Shin A, Oh JH, Kim J. The relationship between nut intake and risk of colorectal cancer: a case control study.    Nutr J. 2018 Mar 7;17(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s12937-018-0345-y.

(5) Lee J, Townsend JA, Thompson T, Garitty T, De A, Yu Q, Peters BM, Wen ZT. Analysis of the Cariogenic Potential of Various Almond Milk Beverages using a Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Model in vitro.    Caries Res. 2018;52(1-2):51-57. doi: 10.1159/000479936.

(6) Dreher ML. A Comprehensive Review of Almond Clinical Trials on Weight Measures, Metabolic Health Biomarkers and Outcomes, and the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 8;13(6):1968. doi: 10.3390/nu13061968.