Do you smell that? The smell of fresh flowers blooming, fruits ripening, and the sun finally shining. Our favorite season of the year is finally upon us and we can’t wait for our faces to get their daily dose of vitamin D and our stomachs to be filled with the most delicious fruits of the season. In other words, the season that causes us to drool over a bowl of green almonds is here. Yes ladies and gentleman, green almonds. Our Middle Eastern readers will know that green almonds are just a regular snack in our seasonal routine, but everyone else – you might want to keep on reading so that we can turn something unusual into your usual.
Our culture is filled with different kinds of traditions and trends that are not so common in others, and one of them is eating fruits that aren’t fully ripe yet, such as janarek (unripe plums) and green almonds. As a matter of fact, in the United States, green almonds are so rare that your best chance of finding them is at a 5-star restaurant! We always knew us Middle Easterners were fancy, right? Now that we’re done tooting our own horn let’s get back to our snack. Green almonds are cousins to the peach, plum, and apricot family and are the first fruit tree to bloom in spring. However, even when picked off the tree you only have a 6-8 week window in order to enjoy the fruit before the shell hardens and it grows into a regular almond. You might be wondering as to what is the difference between a green almond and a fully ripe one, and the answer is simply the taste. Green almonds are known to have a distinct but subtle flavor that is usually described as delicate, and a bit gelatinous. Their main appeal is their soft yet firm texture. Believe us, we know your going to get your hands dirty cracking open their shells but it’s so worth it. You can take them as a to-go snack and dip them in sugar or salt, depending on which you prefer, or you can take it to the next level and add them to your salads, or sauté them into your meals.
Not only are green almonds delicious but they are very healthy for you as well. For starters, green almonds are loaded with antioxidants that can push out toxins from your body and boost the activities of your immune system immensely.
Attention all people who are battling with cholesterol! We found the perfect snack for you. Green almonds are amongst the few foods that are capable of fighting against bad cholesterol. Some studies have proven that if you eat these delicious nuts as much as possible, you can help keep your cholesterol levels in check.
If there’s one thing us Lebanese love more than our green almonds, it’s our looks – and guess what, they improve your outer beauty too. Ladies, trade in your anti-aging creams for a jar of these bad boys because they have the ability to improve your skin and hair. Since green almonds are filled with vitamin E they cleanse your body completely by removing all free radicals as well as other toxic materials. Therefore, achieving a smooth and clear skin with a natural glow.
In addition to helping you stay young, green almonds are also great for your hair. They can help you reduce excessive hair loss because of the essential vitamins and minerals they contain. Another addition to the list of benefits for this superfood is the ability to get your hair to shine naturally. The protein content of the nut increases the flow of blood in your scalp, which makes your hair glossy, along with stimulating its growth.
Starting your day with these green almonds sounds like nothing but a great idea and we’re lucky to live in a region where these green almonds are available easily – but hurry, you only have a couple of weeks left!
