The difference between bitter almond and sweet almond;
1. Bitter almond tastes bitter, while sweet almond tastes slightly sweet.
2. Sweet almonds are mainly produced in Hebei, Beijing and Shandong; In addition, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Shanxi, Northeast China and other places are also produced. The main producing areas of bitter almond are North China, Northwest China and Northeast China.
3. The functions of the two are different. Bitter almonds are used for medicine, while sweet almonds are eaten directly as food.
Bitter almond is flat and heart-shaped, with a length of1~1.9 cm, a width of 0.8 ~1.5 cm and a thickness of 0.5 ~ 0.8 cm. The surface is yellowish brown to dark brown, one end is pointed, the other end is blunt and round, thick, and asymmetrical left and right. There is a short-line hilum on one side of the tip, and there are many dark brown veins upward at the junction of the round end. The seed coat is thin, with 2 cotyledons, milky white and rich in oil. Slight breath and bitter taste.
Extended data:
In Guangdong, China, there is a name for South Apricot and North Apricot, which is collectively called North Apricot in Hong Kong. Generally, sweet almond is called South Apricot and bitter almond is called North Apricot. Chinese herbal medicine shops in Hong Kong will sell them in proportion: most of them are southern apricots, with a small amount of northern apricots.
Sweet ones are for food, bitter ones are for medicine. Bitter almonds are slightly flat in heart shape, asymmetrical left and right, with reddish brown or dark brown seed coat and bitter taste. They are mainly distributed in South China, North China and Northwest China in China. Sweet almond is slightly larger, symmetrical left and right, with light brown to dark brown seed coat, slightly sweet but not bitter. It is mainly distributed in Central China, North China and Southwest China in China.
Bitter almonds have the function of relieving cough and resolving phlegm, especially for cough symptoms caused by physical weakness and cold. It is worth noting that untreated almonds, especially bitter almonds, have amygdalin, which will release hydrogen cyanide after hydrolysis, which can block the respiratory chain of cells and hinder the production of ATP. Traditional Chinese medicine can be made by drying its mature seeds, also known as bitter almond, north almond and light almond.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Sweet Almond
Baidu Encyclopedia-Bitter Almond
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