Badam (Almonds): Types of Almonds, Nutrition and How to Choose the Right One

How many of us grew up with mothers and grandmothers making sure we ate a daily handful of badam? Or can't imagine kheer or halwa without slivers of almonds toasted in ghee?

Almonds have been part of Indian kitchens, rituals and festivals for generations. Yet most of us know only one kind: the California almond, which fills most shelves because it's soft, mildly sweet and available all year.

Beyond it lies a whole world of badam, from Mamra and Gurbandi to the Kashmiri almonds we source at My Pahadi Dukan, each with its own flavour, texture and best use.

We'll cover the main types of almonds and how to tell them apart, what almond nutrition really looks like, how to store and soak them, and how to pick the right kind for snacking, festive sweets or gifting.

Is badam the same as almond?

Yes. Badam is the Hindi and Urdu word for almond, which is the seed of Prunus dulcis. Same nut, two names, no difference in the thing itself.

Two names do trip people up:

• Chinabadam or chiniya badam is not an almond at all. In Bengali, Odia and Assamese it means peanut.
• Desi badam usually means Indian-grown almonds, mostly from Kashmir, rather than a distinct variety.

Which badam is best?

It depends what you're doing with it. No variety has been shown to be more nutritious than another.

Types of almonds in India and how they compare

The best almond depends on how you plan to use it. Here are the almond varieties you'll meet most often in India.

A quick note on names: "Mamra" and "Gurbandi" are trade names used by Indian dry-fruit sellers, not formal botanical varieties. Labels aren't standardised, so a seller who states the origin clearly is worth more than any name on the pack.

1. California almonds

Taste and texture: Soft, mildly sweet and uniform in size.

Best for: Everyday snacking, baking, almond flour and badam milk.

California almonds are the most widely available almonds in India. California grows more than two dozen almond varieties, and about 90% of its crop falls into three groups: Nonpareil, California and Mission types.

Most "California badam" sold in India arrives in its shell and is cracked and sorted here. According to the USDA, these in-shell imports are mainly Nonpareil and Carmel varieties.

2. Australian almonds

Taste and texture: Close to California - mild, uniform, slightly firmer.

Best for: Everyday use, and buying in the middle of the year.

Australia is the second-largest almond producer after the United States and supplied about 6% of India's almond imports in 2025/26. It grows many of the same varieties, including Nonpareil and Carmel.

The main difference is in the time of the year. Australia harvests in February and March; California harvests from August to October.

So an Australian crop arriving in India around mid-year is a few months old, while the Californian stock beside it on the shelf is from the previous season and may be eight or nine months old.

If freshness is what you're after and you're buying in May, June or July, the Australian crop is usually the newer of the two.

3. Gurbandi almonds

Taste and texture: Small, dense and often bittersweet.

Best for: Snacking, traditional sweets and soaked-almond routines.

Gurbandi almonds (also sold as choti giri) are a traditional type from Afghanistan. Afghanistan grows many local almond types. Researchers studying them found that most Afghan almond kernels are small or medium, and a share of the country's almonds are exported to India and neighbouring countries.

Gurbandi is usually cheaper than Mamra and is sometimes passed off as Mamra, so buy from a seller who labels the variety and origin clearly.

4. Mamra almonds

Taste and texture: Rich, dense and slightly crunchy.

Best for: Festive sweets like badam pak, gifting and special occasions.

Mamra almonds are a traditional, low-yield type sold from Iran, Afghanistan and Kashmir. They're smaller and more irregular than California almonds, with a curved, boat-like shape and a rich, intense flavour. Because supply is small and much of it is sorted by hand, Mamra is usually the priciest almond in Indian markets.

Mamra is often sold by origin.

These descriptions come from how sellers grade and market Mamra, not from lab testing, so treat them as a buying guide rather than a scientific comparison.

If a pack labelled "Mamra" is priced close to California almonds, it probably isn't Mamra.

5. Kashmiri almonds and improved almond varieties

Kashmir is India's almond heartland. Much of its traditional crop comes from seedling trees with hard shells and small kernels. To improve yields, ICAR's temperate horticulture institute in Srinagar recommends improved cultivars such as Waris, Pranyaj and Nonpareil.

Kashmiri almonds are becoming harder to find as the valley's orchards shrink.

California vs Mamra almonds: What's the difference?

What about nutrition? All almonds supply protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamin E and magnesium. You'll often see claims that Mamra is far richer in oil or nutrients, but we couldn't find published lab data comparing the two. Both are healthy. The real differences are flavour, texture and price.

Why are Mamra and Kashmiri almonds so expensive?

The short answer is supply, not some hidden quality or chemical difference.

California: Almonds at industrial scale

According to the USDA's latest India report (September 2026):

• Most of India's almonds are imported: The US supplied about 89% of India's almond imports in 2025/26, followed by Australia (6%) and Afghanistan (2%).
• India grows very little: India grows only about 4,000 tonnes of almonds a year, and Jammu and Kashmir produces about 91% of that.
• Import duty favours in-shell almonds: India charges ₹35/kg on in-shell almonds but ₹100/kg on shelled kernels. Mamra is usually sold shelled.
• California: California has about 1.39 million acres of bearing almond orchards, with yields of around 1,940 lb an acre (roughly 2 tonnes per hectare).

Kashmir: Small, traditional and shrinking

Kashmir still produces over 90% of India's almonds, but according to the Horticulture Department, the area under almonds fell from about 16,400 hectares in 2006-07 to about 4,200 hectares in 2019-20, the latest year reported. NITI Aayog's 2026 horticulture roadmap also flags the decline.

Many farmers have switched to high-density apple orchards, which pay better. That's a big reason genuine Kashmiri almonds are getting harder to find.

Want to compare? Read our guide to types of dry fruits

Almond nutrition: What a handful gives you

Here's almond nutrition per 100 g, from ICMR-NIN's Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, and for a typical 28 g handful (about 23 almonds):

What the research says about almonds

• Cholesterol: A 2025 meta-analysis of randomised trials found that regular almond eating lowered LDL ("bad") cholesterol by about 0.13 mmol/L and total cholesterol by about 0.16 mmol/L. That's a modest but consistent effect.
• Heart health: In a 2026 analysis of 63 cohort studies, people who ate the most nuts had about a 19% lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who ate the least. This is an association, not proof of cause.
• Weight: Despite being calorie-dense, almonds didn't cause weight gain in trials. A review of 28 trials found a small drop in body weight and fat mass, though not in BMI or waist size.
• Low in sugar: With only about 2g of sugar per 100g, almonds are a good swap for sugary snacks.

Note: Almonds are a food, not a medicine, and they can't treat or cure any condition. If you're managing a health condition, check with your doctor.

For more on almonds and hair, read our guide to badam benefits for hair.

How to store and soak almonds?

Storage: Keep almonds in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. In hot or humid weather, the fridge keeps them fresh for longer.

Soaking: Many Indian families soak almonds overnight and peel them in the morning. It softens the texture and makes the skins easy to slip off. Peeled or unpeeled, both are fine; it's a matter of taste.

Signs of staleness: A rancid, paint-like smell or a soft, chewy texture means it's time to replace them.

Easy ways to use badam at home

Almonds shine in Indian kitchens, from a warm glass of badam milk to festive badam pak. For step-by-step recipes, including hot and cold badam milk, badam pak and almond chikki, read our badam milk recipe guide.

For a crunchy pairing, see how almonds compare with walnuts in our guide to walnuts vs almonds.

Planning a festive gift? Our Kashmir Valley boxes pair the almonds with walnuts and saffron.

Choosing the right almond for every occasion

The right badam depends on the moment. For everyday snacking and badam milk, California almonds are affordable and consistent. For a soaked-almond routine, the denser Gurbandi or Kashmiri almonds bring more flavour to your morning handful. And for festive sweets and gifting, Mamra or Kashmiri almonds give that richer, more intense taste.

If you'd like to know exactly where your badam comes from, choose homegrown. At My Pahadi Dukan, our Kashmiri almonds come from orchards in the Kashmir valley. They're single-tree origin and hand-harvested, so every pack traces back to one region and one tree.

Taste more of Kashmir, from saffron to walnuts

FAQs on badam (almonds)