Yes some strains of wild almonds contain a toxin designed to thrwart
humans (it tastes bitter).  Humans would have avoided those trees that
produced the bitter nuts, but at the same time would be aware of those
trees that produced good almonds.  The ability to produce good nuts was
not not invented by man, but merely exploited by him.

Potatoes even when domesticated, have the ability to kill humans when
eaten raw.  This is especially true if they are not preserved properly
(the Incas prefered freeze-drying like todays instant potatoes). When
they spoil (turn green) even domestic potatoes can be lethal.  As well as
these naturaly occuring toxins, potatoes are also very prone to fungal
contamination being indiginous to higher altitudes where conditions are
not so suitable to fungi and having little natural protection from them.
The fungicides used to control this as well as the pesticide residues
contained in potatoes make them the most chemically contaiminated foods
available in the U.S. (according to a Smithsonian Magazine article about
potatoes).  Due to the high cancer cancer risk produced by the fungus
itself, organic potatoes are believed to possess a much higher
(8-10x)risk of causing cancer than those containing only chemicals (also
carcinogens).

Potatoes eaten as a staple can also cause a severe form of vitamin A
deficiency that until recently was the leading cause of blindness in
children.  It has also been used by both the Incas and the British (in
Ireland) as a tool of conquest to allow greater densities of conquered
people to inhabit less land, freeing land for the victor's spoils (and
producing colonists for the English). In their surender ceremonies, the
Incas forced the vanquished to eat potatoes - the food of their
enslavement.

Ray Audette
Author "NeanderThin:A Caveman's Guide to Nutrition"

Secola/Nieft wrote:
>
> >>>Yes, but he's talking about WILD almonds, and goes on to explain that
> >>>domesticated almonds aren't bitter and are perfectly fine.
> >>>
> >>What's the difference between almonds and potatoes, then?