Health
Almond oil health benefits may include:
- longer feelings of fullness
- reduced hunger
- stabilized blood sugar levels
- detoxification
- heart health
- increased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol
- lower LDL (bad) cholesterol
- lower blood pressure
- reduced risk of heart disease
- combat obesity (in moderation)
- moisturize hair and skin (topically)
- prevent the spread of stretch marks (topically)
- reduced belly fat (in moderation)
- weight loss (in moderation)
Almond oil side effects may include:
- obesity and weight gain (in excess)
Almonds oil is…
- Acidic 5.5 pH level once digested
- Gluten Free
- Common Food Allergen: TREE NUTS
Environment
Water footprint: likely high, it takes 16,095 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of shelled or peeled almonds / 1,929 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of shelled or peeled almonds
Carbon footprint: likely high, 3.56 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of organic, dry almonds, a car driving equivalent of 8.25 miles or 13.25 kilometers
Destruction: high, almond production is relatively destructive, disruptive to ecosystems, involving a severe strain on bee populations
Almond oil is…
- Unsustainable
Animals
Kills: none, almond oil production does not require any animals to die
Harms: bees are required for commercial almond oil production, many bees are harmed during USA cross-country transportation for intense pollination practices in the name of almond production, which can also lead to spreading diseases and illnesses to other colonies
Indirectly kills or harms: ecosystems and wildlife, potentially bees, may be killed during cross-country transportation for intense pollination practices in the name of almond production, which can also lead to spreading diseases and illnesses to other colonies and ultimately effecting ecosystems and wildlife
Almonds oil is…
- Vegan but pollinator intensive
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Almond oil…
- May have labor issues
Where does most almond oil come from?
The world’s top almond oil exporting country is Germany, followed by Netherlands, Malaysia, USA, Indonesia, Spain, Sweden, Pakistan, India and Denmark.
What are almond oil uses?
Almond oil uses include body oil, bath oil, massage oil, scalp massage oil, lip balm, bath bombs, body scrubs, diffusers, to make desserts, cakes, salad dressings, and more.
When are almonds in season?
California harvests almonds from mid-August through October.
Is almond oil nutritious?
Almond oil is full of vitamin E, and it’s a great source of magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.
almond oil is acidic.
Is almond oil alkaline or acidic?
Almond oil is acidic.
What is the pH level of almond oil?
Almond oil has a 5.5 pH level, once digested.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
almond oil is gluten free.
Is almond oil gluten free?
Yes, almond oil is gluten free. Almond oil does not contain gluten. Almond oil comes from tree nuts, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
almond oil is a common food allergen: tree nuts.
Is almond oil a common food allergen?
Yes, almond oil is a common food allergen: tree nuts. Many people experience allergic reactions to almond oil.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
almond oil likely has a high water footprint.
Does almond oil have a high or low water footprint?
Almond oil likely has a relatively high water footprint compared to other foods.
What is the water footprint of almond oil?
It takes 16,095 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of almonds / 1,929 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of almonds.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
almond oil likely has a high carbon footprint.
Does almond oil have a high or low carbon footprint?
Almond oil likely has a relatively high carbon footprint compared to other foods.
What is the carbon footprint of almond oil?
It takes around 3.56 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of almonds, a car driving equivalent of 8.25 miles or 13.25 kilometers.
Food not only has a water footprint but also a carbon footprint, known as CO2e, which stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. Since carbon measurements are a bit more difficult to comprehend, it is common to equate CO2e to the distance which a car drives in miles or kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
almond oil is unsustainable.
Overall, is almond oil eco friendly? Is almond oil sustainable?
Almond oil production is relatively unsustainable.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
almond oil is vegan but pollinator intensive.
Is almond oil vegan?
Yes, almond oil is vegan. Almond oil comes from tree nuts and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food. However, almond production is pollinator intensive and therefore problematic for bees, butterflies and other pollinator populations.
Almonds can be controversial since commercial almond production is pollinator intensive. In the US, bees must be transported cross-country to pollinate almond trees in California (where nearly all US commercial almond production occurs). The process often kills many bees either due to the long transit itself or while pollinating the trees diseases spread. Disease is then brought back to the hive and fatal for the entire colony.
Many know that pollinators, including bees, are critical to the ecosystem so if you don’t necessarily care or consider bees to be an animal of concern, please know that issues like this can be indirectly damaging to more forms of life than you realize.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non-Vegan Foods List
almond oil may have labor issues and human rights concerns.
Is almond oil a product with labor concerns?
At this time there are no major human rights concerns with almond production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening! It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation with specific brands.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Some problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death! Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Sources:
Harvard, The Nutrition Source, Almonds
Healthline nutrition: almond oil
The uses and properties of almond oil
