Bitter almonds should not be eaten raw, but should be cooked or fried for consumption, and the amount should be controlled (not more than 10 grains a day).

When consuming bitter almonds, be sure to soak them in water for several times and heat and boil them to reduce or eliminate the toxic substances in them. Also be sure to peel and take the nuts (germ). In addition, women in labor, young children, people with damp-heat constitutions and diabetics should not eat apricots and their products.

The toxicity of bitter almonds comes from hydrocyanic acid released from the hydrolysis of bitter amygdalin, which can lead to cell asphyxiation, causing tissue hypoxia. So we should pay attention to the consumption of bitter almonds in our life. Prevention of bitter almond poisoning, the most important thing is not to eat bitter almonds raw. If cooked or fried consumption, also when the amount of control, otherwise poisoning may also occur. Bitter, sweet almonds should be identified, bitter almonds taste bitter, flat heart-shaped, apical tip, the base of the blunt round and thick, slightly asymmetric; sweet almonds taste light and sweet, large and flat, the base is slightly symmetrical. Can't mistake bitter almonds for sweet almonds and raw food.

Expanded Information:

The main functions of the treatment are to lower the qi, cough and asthma, laxative. Used for coughing and asthma, chest full of phlegm, blood deficiency and fluid wither, intestinal dryness and constipation. Mainly produced in Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi. Almonds are divided into sweet almonds and bitter almonds. China's southern production of almonds belong to the sweet almonds (also known as southern almonds), slightly sweet flavor, delicate, mostly for food, but also as raw materials to join the cake, cookies and dishes.

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