The rise of the American almond craze in one nutty chart
America has a new favorite nut.Previously:
The country's appetite for almonds has grown by more than 220 percent since 2005--far faster than demand for pecans, walnuts, macadamias, pistachios, cashews, or peanuts. The rise is even more startling when compared to the early 1970s, when the average American ate just over a quarter of a pound of almonds per year. Now they consume more than two pounds per year.
America's love affair with almonds is such that not even peanuts can compete anymore. In 2012 Americans ate more almonds per capita than shelled and unshelled snack peanuts combined (not including peanut butter).
The country's growing almond obsession has a lot to do with the convergence of a number of popular health narratives and dietary preferences.
Americans, for one, aren't nearly as worried about fat intake as they once were. "Nuts were considered unhealthy due to their high fat content," a 2011 report by the University of Michigan said. "However, this perception has changed over the past decade."...MORE
Trading the California Drought: Almonds and Water
California Drought: Why Farmers Are 'Exporting Water' to China
"California Almonds Saved by Diverting Water From Veggies"
A Higher Yielding Alternative to Corn and Wheat: "Agriculture Investors Develop a Taste for Permanent Crops"
Straight Talk on Weather and Climate: "Will California's Drought Bring About $7 Broccoli?"
Projected Price Increases For Foods Affected By the California Drought
California Drought: Why Farmers Are 'Exporting Water' to China
El Nino Won't Come Quick Enough To Break the California Drought
