Simple Tips: How to Select and Store Almonds

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Simple Tips: How to Select and Store Almonds

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Do you like snacking on almonds or adding them to different recipes? Then it’s important to also find out how to store almonds because, otherwise, you might realize they’ve already turned rancid the very moment you need them the most.

When I go hiking I like to have all kinds of snacks in my backpack: one or two sandwiches, a piece of fruit, some sweets and a small bag of nuts for each day. But when my mountain hike is shorter than 8 hours, I give up on the fruit and sandwiches, because I use a smaller backpack and I don’t need that much food. Because I need energy, I always choose nuts and chocolate bars as snacks. And almonds are my favorites by far. If I want to have a mild snack, I only eat raw almonds, but sometimes I like to combine them with dried cranberries for a sweet flavor. They’re healthy, nutritious and make me feel full quickly and for a long time. Plus, I can eat them while hiking, without having to stop walking.

Almonds are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. Just a handful of almonds – approximately 1 ounce (30 grams) – has one-eighth of our daily protein needs.

One cup of whole, raw almonds (5 ounces/143 grams) has 828 kilocalories, 30 grams of protein, 18 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, 385 milligrams of calcium, and 0 grams of cholesterol, according to Medicalnewstoday.

How to choose almonds

You can eat almonds on their own, raw, or toasted. They are also available sliced, flaked, slivered, or made into flour, oil, butter, or milk. You can add the almonds to both sweet and savory recipes.

Almonds come in a few different forms. First, they can be sold in the shell or shelled. The ones that are shelled can be raw, roasted, or blanched. If they’re raw or roasted, the almonds will still have their skins on. If they’re blanched, they’ll be without skins.

Raw and blanched almonds can be found whole, sliced, slivered or halved, diced or chopped.

If you want to add them to a recipe, you can use pre-cut almonds, and that’s a great way of gaining some time. You can also soak them before using them. But if you’re looking for the freshest almond flavor, buy whole almonds and chop or slice them before you use them. If you’ve chosen raw or roasted almonds don’t avoid the skin. Although it can sometimes be bitter, it can also have a pleasant taste and add flavor to your recipe. So try the nut first before you decide on removing its skin.

How to store almonds

Packed raw almonds should be stored unopened in a cool, dark place.

Almonds can last a very long time if they’re stored properly. If they’re raw and they’re packed, keep the almonds unopened in a cool, dark place for up to two years. Unopened roasted almonds can be stored under the same conditions for up to one year. Both will last even longer if you refrigerate them or place them in the freezer. Don’t store almonds in a warm pantry, because they’ll turn rancid much quicker.

Once a pack of almonds is opened, place them into an airtight container or resealable plastic bag with the air squeezed out. Then, store them in a cool, dry, and dark place. Use them within three months.

Due to their high-fat content, almonds are likely to turn rancid if not kept in the appropriate conditions. When almonds become too old they will turn rancid then, as well. To check for rancidity in a shelled almond, slice the almond in half and look for a solid white texture throughout. If it’s yellowish or has a honeycomb pattern, then the nut is spoiled and you should discard it. There is no harm in eating rancid almonds, but they will have an extremely bitter, unpleasant taste.

Since now you know how to store almonds, that means you should check out our almond recipes.

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