Prunus dulcis, known as the almond tree, is a deciduous tree of the Rosaceae family, cultivated mainly for its edible seeds, almonds. It originates from the Middle East and South Asia, while today it is widely grown in many regions of the world, such as the Mediterranean and California. The almond is one of the most nutritious nuts, with a high content of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.

Botanical description:

• Family: Rosaceae
• Genus: Prunus
• Species: Prunus dulcis
• Height: The almond tree can reach 4–10 meters in height.
• Leaves: The leaves are long, thin and serrated at the edges.
• Flowers: The almond tree blossoms are white or pink and appear early in spring before the leaves.
• Fruit: The fruit is ovoid, with a hard shell that contains the seed (the almond), which may be sweet or bitter, depending on the variety.

Chemical composition:

Almonds are extremely nutritious, providing a wide range of bioactive components:

• Monounsaturated fatty acids: Most of the fat in almonds consists of healthy fats, mainly oleic acid.
• Dietary fiber: High fiber content.
• Proteins: Almonds are rich in plant-based proteins.
• Vitamins: An excellent source of vitamin E.
• Minerals: High content of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.
• Antioxidants: Rich in flavonoids and polyphenols, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Almond Oil / Almond Oil & Nutrition Table

Almonds have always been a rich source of oil, with 50% of the almond’s dry mass consisting of fat.

More specifically, almond oil contains:

• 32% Monounsaturated Oleic Acid (the same as that contained in olive oil, as an omega-9 fatty acid)

• 13% linoleic acid (polyunsaturated omega-6 essential fatty acid) and

• 10% saturated fatty acid (mainly as palmitic acid).

• 0% of linolenic acid, the polyunsaturated essential omega-3 fatty acid found in both fish and other natural sources.

• Furthermore, almond oil is a rich source of vitamin E, providing 261% of the Daily Requirement/Value per 100 ml.

 When almond oil is analyzed separately and expressed per 100 grams as a reference mass, the oil provides 3,700 kJ (or 884 calories kcal) of food energy, 8 grams of saturated fat (81% of which is palmitic acid), 70 grams of oleic acid, and 17 grams of linoleic acid (oil table).

Nutritional Table

Nutritional value per 100 g
Energy	3,699 kJ (884 kcal)
Fat	100 g
Saturated	8.2 g
Monounsaturated	69.9 g
Polyunsaturated omega‑3 omega‑6	17.4 g 0 17.4 g
Vitamins	Quantity %DV†
Vitamin E	261% 39.2 mg
Vitamin K	7% 7.0 μg
Minerals	Quantity %DV†
Iron	0% 0 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units

Uses & Preparation Types 

Almond oil is produced either from sweet or bitter almonds from the dried kernel of almonds and is an oleic glyceride with a light nutty smell and taste.

It is almost insoluble in alcohol but easily soluble in chloroform or ether. 

• Sweet almond oil is used as a carrier and diluting oil in aromatherapy and cosmetics, particularly for diluting essential oils as well as in the preparation of therapeutic or cosmetic oils and rub-on ointments. Its light texture and discreet, almost imperceptible scent make it perhaps the best oil for making cosmetic preparations. Also, due to its structure, it has one of the lowest oxidation rates of all vegetable oils, which makes it ideal both for storage and for heat processing.

• The bitter almond, which contains benzaldehyde, is used as a flavoring for foods, drinks and perfumes, but also as an edible oil, mainly for its high content of Vit B-17 and its remarkable antioxidant properties. However, particular care and guidance are needed, because bitter almond oil, unlike regular sweet almond oil, can prove toxic in larger quantities.

Almonds are treated with hot water to soften the seed coat, which is then removed to reveal their white endocarp. Once the almonds are peeled and processed, they can be stored over time.

Discover all the forms of almond oil

• Almond oil for cooking (Food Grade) 

• Pharmaceutical Almond Oil for cosmetics (Cosmetics Grade) 

• Bitter Almond Oil (Essential Oil)