Health: Raw almonds are still not raw
>> Friday, July 31, 2009
Because almonds are one of the most healthy and nutritious nuts, and because in my opinion they make the best-tasting non-dairy milk, I'm personally concerned with the status of raw almonds in America, which is where I live. If you were not aware, since 2007 the USDA has mandated that all almonds be subjected to high temperatures for pasteurization and/or treated with a toxic fumigant before being sold to the public.
The reason for concern over this is that either of these processes makes the almond dead and/or contain a degree of toxicity itself. Besides that health factor, there is also the political aspect to be upset about; here in America which was once the land of the free, you are not even allowed to choose what foods you want to eat. Or more specifically, you may choose whatever you want, but only from the choices some governing official has allowed you to choose from. Finally, there is also the financial aspect to be upset about; these regulations put heavy financial burdens on almond growers, which are especially difficult for local and small growers to pay. This can cause some of the growers to go bankrupt and does cause the price that you pay at the supermarket to go up.
The Cornucopia institute of Wisconsin has a page which you can use to keep abreast of the latest news in the battle for truly raw almonds: http://www.cornucopia.org/almonds/
In the meantime, you can buy imported, raw almonds from sites such as the Raw Food World; http://www.therawfoodworld.com/product_info.php?products_id=1001588
Always remember: You pay for your health now with higher-quality food, or you pay for your health later, with high-priced doctors.
