Eating Almonds Daily Is Healthy
What you need to know about Almonds
A Key reason nuts are so beneficial is that many, including almonds, contain the amino acid l-arginine, which offers multiple vascular benefits to people with heart disease, or those who have increased risk for heart disease due to multiple cardiac risk factors.
They also contain healthy fats our body’s need for optimal function, plus moderate amounts of protein and other valuable vitamins and minerals.
According to a recent University of Florida study, eating a handful of almonds each day is a simple way to improve your diet and cut down on junk food.
I have been doing that daily since 1967 when I learned about their healthy values.
For a period of 3 weeks, 28 families were asked to add whole almonds or almond butter to their diet. The adults were asked to eat 1.5 oz of almonds or the equivalent in almond butter each day. Children were asked to eat 0.5 oz of whole almonds daily, or the equivalent in almond butter.
As reported by CTV News:”Healthy Eating Index scores were taken before the participants started adding almonds into their diet. The score is a measure of diet quality in line with the US Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
A score below 51 indicates a poor diet, a score between 51 and 80 suggests a diet that needs improvement and a score higher than 80 indicates a good diet …
[A]fter adding almonds to their diet, the parents’ Healthy Eating Index average scores increased from 53.7 ± 1.8 to 61.4 ± 1.4, while the children’s scores went up from 53.7 ± 2.6 to 61.4 ± 2.2.
Participants also increased their Healthy Eating Index scores for total protein foods and decreased the intake of empty calories.”
While boasting many health benefits, including weight loss and blood sugar stabilization, almonds are actually toward the bottom of my “Top Nut” list due to their elevated carb and protein content. Every 4 almonds can add up to 1 gram of protein.
Additionally, they are relatively high in omega-6 fats, which most eat in excess. Although ¾ of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated, 24% is pure omega-6 fats with virtually no omega-3 fat.
Another factor to consider is the fact that virtually all almonds are pasteurized, even if they’re labeled “raw.”
The law requiring almonds to be pasteurized, either by roasting, blanching, steam processing, or Propylene Oxide (PPO) treatment, was enacted in September 2007, following a number of salmonella outbreaks traced back to raw almonds.
The only way you can purchase truly raw, unpasteurized almonds in North America is by finding a vendor who has obtained a waiver from the pasteurization requirement. In order to get such a waiver, the grower can only sell limited quantities of almonds directly to customers at local markets.
If you live in California, where 80% of the world’s almonds are grown, you may find a small, local grower selling raw almonds. Elsewhere, this is challenging.
Keep in mind that 1 of the healthy aspects of almonds is their skin, which is rich in antioxidants including phenols, flavonoids and phenolic acids typically associated with vegetables and fruits.
So, opting for unshelled almonds, opposed to blanched (de-skinned) ones, is a better choice.
Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively
HeffX-LTN
Paul Ebeling
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