Benefits of Almonds

Often referred to as the “king of nuts”, almonds are powerhouses of nutrition.

They are good as a stand-alone snacks, as nut butter or added to salads and desserts. Almonds also make delicious vegan milk.

The health benefits of almonds include heart disease and cancer prevention, healthy bones, blood sugar control and weight loss.

Almond Nutrition

The health benefits of almonds are related to their nutritional content. Almonds contain 164 calories and 14g fat per 28g portion.

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They are an excellent source of vitamin D (37% of the daily value in 28g) and are also a good source of riboflavin, magnesium, copper, manganese, phosphorous and calcium.

Almonds are also very high in protein with a quarter cup supplying as much protein as an egg.

Almonds Lower Cholesterol and Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Monounsaturated fats are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, especially when they replace saturated fats in the diet.

Large epidemiological studies have linked nut consumption with a reduced risk of heart disease. Almonds are also an exceptional source of vitamin E, the heart friendly antioxidant.

They are also rich in potassium and magnesium, which help lower blood pressure.

Studies have also shown that almonds are able to reduce levels of the inflammatory marker often associated with heart disease, C-reactive protein

Almonds for Cancer Prevention

Almonds contain a special cancer fighting chemical called laetrile. Cancer clinics around the world recommend 10 raw almonds a day to their patients.

Almonds for Better Blood Sugar Control

Studies have shown that eating almonds before or with a meal can help slow the glycemic response to that meals, which means more sustained energy and better blood sugar control.

Almonds for Healthy Bones

Almonds contain a good dose of calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese all needed for bone health. It is a reasonable source of calcium for people who don’t consume any diary products.

Almonds for Weight Loss

Studies have shown, that when low calorie diets are enriched with almonds, subjects lost more weight.

The reasons could be related to greater feelings of satiety, better blood sugar control and or reduced percentage carbohydrate intake.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond