Almonds Health Benefits

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Almonds Health Benefits

Eating on the go seems to be a normal part of life for many of us especially around the holidays. Many of us have busy lifestyles. This makes it challenging for us to get real nutrition. One of the best snack foods to have on hand is almonds. Almonds are a superfood and they are also very versatile. They are not messy and they are easy to grab and carry with you in the car or even in your purse. Snacking on almonds is a great way to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. If high blood pressure is a concern then read How 2 Lower Blood Pressure. Almonds contain fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which have been shown to improve blood pressure. The fiber is part of  dietary recommendations  for lowering blood pressure. Fiber is very important for intestinal health.

Almonds Health Benefits-Nutritional Value

Almonds are high in protein, fiber, copper, magnesium and vitamin E. They are also high in good healthy fats. Good fats such as monounsaturates and polyunsaturates have great health benefits. These healthy unsaturated fats may lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Blue Diamond Growers share almonds health benefits -In 2003 the FDA  approved a qualified health claim that states “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Almonds Health Benefits-Recent studies indicate that almonds may play a important role in the prevention of certain chronic diseases. Almonds are very high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are very important to consume. They fight against the free radicals in our bodies. You can compare almonds antioxidants to that of green tea and broccoli. Because Almonds are a plant source there is no transfat. Almonds may also lower blood cholesterol along with some other nuts such as pecans, walnuts, macadamia, pistachios, and peanuts. However, if you think you are allergic to nuts or almonds read how to tell if you have a almond allergy.

Almonds Health Benefits-Weight Management

If you are relying on almonds health benefits to lose weight and get healthy then here are some words of wisdom->If you are snacking on a lot of nuts through out the day this can increase your calorie intake. Nuts are generally not recommended for people who really need to restrict their calories. Nuts and seeds naturally tend to be high in fat and calories. If you are interested in adding different seeds into your diet read about the health benefits of hemp seeds.

Keep in mind most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. My personal opinion is that  Nutritionists should encourage their clients  to eat natural or dry roasted almonds as part of a healthy balanced diet. Almonds are healthiest without the added salts and oils.

Here’s to your health!

Kari St. Louis