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What Happens If You Eat Expired Almonds
Even though eating little amounts of stale or rotten nuts like cashews, walnuts, or almonds won’t necessarily make you sick right away, it’s typically not a good idea since it might interfere with digestion or have other negative long-term consequences on your health. Even months after their expiration date, they ought to be OK.
Expired almonds are not toxic, but the rancid oils are not helpful anymore. Spitting almonds are not poisonous, but the fat is no longer beneficial. While it is unlikely that a spoiled almond would make you sick, monounsaturated fats are not going to have any more health benefits. Yes, almonds, just like any seed that contains a high amount of monounsaturated fat, do turn bad.
If almonds are stored at room temperature, where they are continually exposed to oxygen and moisture, those fats begin to turn rancid, making the seeds taste stale and sour. Under light, heat, and oxygen, the fats that are in an almond are broken down, and the products formed usually smell and taste worse. Almonds are very high in fat and the fats present in almonds may turn rancid over time. Almonds have a high-fat content, meaning that it is easy for them to soak up moisture, heat/oxygen, and smell bad.
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Almonds freeze well as they have very low water content, meaning even when defrosted, the seeds still have a similar flavor. Almonds are one of the most durable nuts, surviving several months of storage time as long as they are stored correctly. If you are a fan of almonds, you may have noticed that they can get stale, eventually tasting really bad. Shelled almonds can last for up to six months in your pantry before going bad.
To prevent rancidity, store almonds in an airtight container in the fridge. Keeping your seeds in a freezer will slow the onset of rancidity, keeping almonds nice and fresh. If a good almonds flavor becomes bitter, acidic, or like a varnish, then good almonds are runningcid. Instead of a distinctively sweet, creamy almond flavor, rancid almonds have bitter flavors.
Last, but certainly not least, if almonds are passing both the eye and smell tests, then you may want to proceed to tasting the almonds, if they taste bitter, that is a sign of faulty almonds. If your almonds taste similarly, throw away them all so as not to cause any digestive problems. One thing to keep in mind is that altered flavor is a more common sign, so if your almonds taste fine, you are still not out of the woods. If you open up an almond container and you get the taste that is acidic, almost like chemicals, then you can bet the nuts are spoiled.
| Type Of Nuts | Room Temperature | Refrigerator | Freezer |
| Almonds | 10 – 12 Months | 1 Year | 2 Years |
| Peanuts | 2 – 3 Months | 5 – 6 months | 1 Year |
| Pecan | 6 – 8 Months | 1 – 1.5 Year | 2 years |
| Walnuts | 6 – 8 Months | 1 – 1.5 Year | 1 – 2 Years |
| Cashew | 6 – 8 Months | 1 – 1.5 Year | 2 Years |
| Pistaschio | 3 months | 5 – 7 months | 1 Year |
| Hazelnuts | 5 – 7 Months | 1 Year | 1- 1.5 Year |
Identifying the Bad Nut An almond has gone bad if you open your container and notice a sour, almost chemical odor. You can determine whether your almonds are spoiled or not by considering how they look, look, feel, smell, and taste. If you notice your almonds are becoming crumbly, or if they are wrinkled or shrunken, that is an indication they are past their prime. If you crack open a bag of almonds and you see mould growing on the seeds, that is a sure sign that the nuts are past their shelf life or are rancid.
When the almonds start tasting rancid, it is time to throw them out. This is an obvious sign that any expired almonds are expired and must be discarded. Just make sure you are watching the conditions of your unshielded almonds, and if you notice foul smells or any other signs of deterioration, throw it out immediately. The good news is almonds keep quite long (more on this in the next section), so they should still be fine for months after the expiration date, provided they are not treated badly during storage.
Almonds, cashews, and other nuts eventually turn rancid if almonds are not used by the date of best-by. It is true that nuts are fairly fattening, and with time they will turn rancid; if this is the case, it is going to make them taste very bad. It is not necessarily true that nuts after this date become rancid, or cause food poisoning, if you eat them.
While eating rotten almonds is not dangerous, the flavor will be particularly bitter and unpleasant. Sweet almonds are safe for snacking, but eating an untreated bitter almond may lead to spasms, nausea, and diarrhea. Bad almonds, when consumed in high amounts, may cause digestive problems, cramps, and nausea.
If you regularly consume bad almonds, chances are that they may be contributing to a chronic health issue. Short-term use of stale almonds does not lead to significant health problems, but if you consume stale almonds for an extended period, then it may increase free radicals in your body, which in turn may damage your bodys cells, proteins, and DNA. Consuming rancid or stale nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or cashews in small amounts might not immediately make you ill, but in general, it is not recommended because it may hinder digestion or cause other detrimental effects to the body over a longer period.
In some situations, rancid nuts can cause irritation of your stomach and intestinal lining, leading to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, among other symptoms. As mentioned above, rancid nuts do not do anything for your body, because chances are, any vital nutrients are long gone. Plus, they taste terrible, and you probably do not like having them in your mouth, so essentially, it makes little sense to eat those almonds in the first place.
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This might sound fine, but according to doctors, eating too much fiber may lead to constipation and other problems with the stomach, like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, gas, etc. This is typically when you are not drinking a lot of water while eating lots of almonds. Case studies have shown that consuming a mere 6-10 raw bitter almonds is enough to result in severe poisoning for an average adult, and eating 50 or more may result in death.
Note that a slight sourness does not necessarily mean the almond is rancid; sample the seeds to make sure. Almonds contain fatty oils, which cause the first to turn rancid when heated.
If you have ever stored almonds at room temperature and had them turn rancid, then refrigeration is the best option because it minimizes the rate of lipid oxidation (fat turning rancid) (USDA). Keeping both minimizes oxidation, as well as keeps out any smells, which almonds easily pick up because of their high-fat content (USDA).
What happens if I eat bad almonds?
When consumed, this toxin breaks down into a number of chemicals, including hydrogen cyanide, a poisonous substance that can be fatal. According to case studies, the typical adult only has to eat six to ten raw bitter almonds to become seriously ill, while 50 or more can result in death.
Do nuts really expire?
At ambient temperature, the majority of shelled nuts keep their quality for about 6 months. Nuts that are still in their shells can be stored for an additional six to nine months. If you want to chill your nuts, you may increase that time frame by 50% to 100%. In order to extend the time, freeze your nuts.
Why do I feel sick after I eat almonds?
The USDA estimates that one ounce of almonds has 3.6 grams of dietary fiber. You may have cramps, bloating, and gas for a few days if you consume a lot of almonds and your body isn’t used to absorbing that much fiber.