Why you should be eating more Almonds

Almonds are a nutrition powerhouse, with their shells typically removed and the nuts sold either raw, baked, roasted or seasoned. Almonds are not only sold as whole nuts, you can also find variations such as almond milk, oil, protein powder, butter etc. Owing to its versatility as an extremely nutritional food source, Almond will undoubtedly play an essential role when designing a healthy diet plan.

Nutritional profile of Almonds

A small handful, 28 grams serving has about :

• 161 Calories
• 2.5 grams of Carbohydrates
• 3.5 grams of Fiber
• 6 grams of Protein
• 14 grams of Fat

And they have vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, manganese, magnesium 20% or more, well over the daily recommended intake of an individual.

Health Benefits

1. Antioxidant powerhouse

The brownish, flaky skin of almonds contain fair amounts of antioxidants. Essentially, antioxidants help our cells combat oxidative stress incurred from our environment and food we consume. This can mitigate cellular damage, which in turn, can help prevent excessive inflammation, and may even drastically reduce the event of life threatening diseases such as cancer from occurring.

In fact, there are many studies which associated a reduction in oxidative stress markers in individuals who consumed almonds on a regular basis.

Almonds are also rich in Vitamin E, it is a fat soluble vitamin that has antioxidant properties and with studies pointing to reduction in the rates of heart related diseases, cancer and even Alzheimer disease.

2. Helps manage and prevent Diabetes

Almonds tend to make one feel fuller faster due to its rich fiber and protein content. These low carb snacks can help to replace higher calorie, unhealthy foods which may help to prevent overeating, and thus, manage obesity, which is the number one cause to diabetes.

The rich magnesium profile in almonds can help diabetic patients who have magnesium deficiency to improve insulin sensitivity and thereby lower overall blood sugar levels. Even for non-diabetics, studies have shown a drop in insulin resistance when magnesium is appropriately supplemented.

3. Manage Hypertension

High blood pressure is one of the strong precursors to cardiovascular diseases and kidney issues.

Other than a good source of healthy fats that can help manage high blood pressure, the rich magnesium content in almonds is also linked to lowering blood pressure, as studies have shown that magnesium deficiency in patients can lead to hypertension from occurring.

4. Help to manage weight and build lean muscles

The low carbohydrate, high fiber content can act as a good source of hunger suppressant. A one month study for over one hundred participants showed that a daily serving of almonds was able to reduce hunger pangs and curb the inclination to eat more.

Studies have also shown that a healthy daily serving of almonds were able to enhance weight loss as opposed to other forms of nut free diets. But of course, the thing to note here is that consuming almonds alone will not be able to garner positive effects if it is not coupled with a healthy and wholesome diet program.

Almonds are also muscle building friendly foods, with a whopping 6 grams of protein per handful. Consuming these nuts regularly will definitely help to naturally supplement muscle growth for those seeking to pack on some lean mean muscles.

5. Bad cholesterol fighting food

Bad cholesterol (LDL) is the number one cause to stroke and heart problems as it causes fatty build-up along the walls of the blood vessels.

Research pertaining to regular almond consumption on lowering LDL cholesterol has brought back positive results. With about 20% of daily calories coming from almond intake, participants have showed a significant reduction in their LDL cholesterol levels, whilst retaining their good cholesterol (HDL) profile.   

One serving of almonds a day (combined with healthy diet) keeps the bad cholesterol away.

Conclusion

Almonds may seem to be very convenient snacks to indulge in for that healthy burst of nutrition, but do take note that overly seasoned or sweetened versions have a counterproductive effect to our health. Always choose baked or lightly salted almonds, in short, those that are as natural and with as few added ingredients possible.

Quality products that are made from almonds include Noosh Almond protein powder and butter. These alternatives add an interesting dimension when adding almond into your daily diet program. For example, the Almond protein powder can be conveniently mixed with water to concoct a delicious almond protein shake, and the almond based butter can easily replace your regular peanut butter or jam  for that delectable spread on your bread slices. Get the goodness of almonds on the go with their easy to carry individualised serving packaging.