Almonds are certainly a superfood that is very tasty and so beneficial for our health. Learn the top 9 health benefits of Almonds and why to include them in your diet.
They are my favourite nut; most mornings I add 7 to 10 soaked overnight almonds to my breakfast.
9 Health Benefits of Almonds
- ‘Bad’ Cholesterol is Lowered: One clinical study showed that almonds added to the diet had a favorable effect on blood cholesterol levels and that none of the study groups experienced weight gain in the study by Dr. Gene Spiller, Director of the Health Research and Studies Center, Inc.
- Reduce Heart Attack Risk: A study showed those who consumed nuts five times a week had a 50% reduction in risk of heart attack according to the Loma Linda School of Public Health.
- Protects artery walls from damage: It was found that the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with vitamin E thus reducing the risk of heart disease. (Research at Tufts University)
- Build strong bones and teeth with the phosphorus in these nuts.
- Healthy fats help in weight loss:
Although nuts contain lots of fat frequent nut eaters are thinner on average than those who almost never consume nuts. (data from the Nurses’ Health Study)
Those who ate nuts at least two times per week were 31% less likely to gain weight than were those who never or seldom at them in a study involving 8865 adults. - This nut will lower the rise in blood sugar and insulin after meals.
- Good brain function: They contain riboflavin and L-carnitine, nutrients that boost brain activity which may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
- A nutrient for the nervous system according to Ayurveda; they help to increase high intellectual level and longevity.
- They alkalize the body: They are the only nut and one of the few proteins that are alkaline-forming. When your body is not alkaline enough, you risk osteoporosis, poor immune function, low energy, and weight gain.Learn more about the benefits of an alkaline body and the dangers of being too acid click here: Balance Your Body with Acid/Alkaline Balance
Almond facts
- They are actually stone fruits related to cherries, plums, and peaches.
- 2.51 million tonnes of almonds were produced in 2010 according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
- The United States is the largest producer of this superfood nut. Unfortunately, it also demands that they are pasteurized or irradiated. Read more at: The Killing of California Almonds. Buy unpasteurized almonds Organic Almonds
- From ancient Egypt to modern times, almonds have always been a popular ingredient in lotions and potions.
Almond Cautions: Those grown in the USA are not raw; read more: The Killing Of California AlmondsIt is estimated that one to two percent of the population is allergic to tree nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, and macadamia nuts), peanuts or both.Wait till children are at least one year old before feeding them any kind of nuts.
Nutrition:
This is one very nutrient-dense food which we call a Superfood.
- Packed with protein; they are 13 percent protein.
- One ounce (or about 23 almonds) is an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, fibre and protein.
- Filled with minerals such as magnesium, copper.
- Filled with B vitamins.
- Provide 266mg (27% DV) of calcium per 100g serving, 367mg (37% DV) per cup.
- Full of potassium, phosphorus, and iron.
- Cholesterol-free.
- A one-ounce serving contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a serving of broccoli.
- One of the best whole food sources of vitamin E, with about one-third of the daily value per ounce.
- Heart-healthy with monounsaturated fat; one-quarter cup contains about 18 grams of fat, 11 grams is heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
- 20-25 almonds contain as much calcium as 1/4 cup of milk.
Almond History:
They are thought to have originated in western Asia and North Africa; they have been written about in many historical texts, including the Bible.
The almond tree is one of the earliest domesticated tree nuts because wild almonds produces cyanide; even eating a few dozen at one time can be fatal.
How to Store
- Keep them in an airtight container to protect them from the air so the oil does not go rancid.
- They are best kept in a dark, cool environment such as your refrigerator for up to two years according to the Almond Board of California.
- If you want them to last up to four years, freeze them in airtight containers.
Tips for eating or cooking:
Let’s get these tasty nuts into our diet.
- Always use them unpasteurized. Here are some you can be sure are: Organic Unpasteurized Almonds
- Almond flour is great in gluten-free cooking and baking.
- Green almonds are dipped in sea salt and eaten as snacks on Iran street markets.
- Eat them with the skin as it contains more than 20 antioxidant flavanoids.
- Almond oil is good for cooking at high temperatures; it has a high smoke point. It is best to use a refined almond oil for its high smoke point. This is one I use: Spectrum Naturals Refined Almond Oil 16 Ounce
- Nourishing for your skin and hair: rub a little cold-pressed Sweet Almond Oil on to the skin to moisturize it.
- How to get the nutrition from almonds: They can be difficult to digest and may stress your pancreas. Like all nuts, they contain phytate which makes them difficult to digest. To get maximum nutrition it is best to soak them before they are eaten or roast them. They are one of only a few nuts that will actually sprout when soaked. When you soak them it neutralizes the phytate allowing the nutrients from the nut to be released. Watch a video explaining more about sprouting nuts and seeds here: Sprouting Nuts and Seeds video.
Recipes with Almonds
Make Almond Milk With This Recipe with its mild flavour and light colour is a very good alternative for those that need to be dairy-free, soy-free, and for vegans.
I love my homemade almond milk and it is healthier than what you can buy. You can easily learn how to make almond milk at home and use all natural healthy ingredients, and no sugar.
Creamy Swiss Chard Soup with Almonds is Delicious – This delicious Swiss chard soup is hearty with the addition of potatoes and is very nutritious too. I love that it is so creamy without the addition of cow’s milk. The crunchy almonds on top adds an extra tastiness. It is a whole vegan meal in a bowl too.
Crunchy Vegetables with Almonds and Savory Spices Recipe – A meal of crunchy vegetables with almonds is so tasty that I could eat it at least once a week. The spices in this delicious meal are very much like the ones used in curries but without the cayenne pepper. I don’t like hot spicy food so I leave it out.
Delicious Green Beans with Almonds– Green beans with golden almonds are a very tasty dish and simple to make too.
Learn How to Cook and Bake with Almonds
Almonds are so good for us that I use them in all my Healthy Diets and Detoxes.
100+ Superfoods
Learn more about some of the healthiest vegetarian foods you will always want to have in your pantry or growing on your deck.
READ: Superfoods – Over 100 of the Healthiest Foods You Should Have in Your Diet and learn more about the variety of Superfoods we think you should have in your diet.
Thank you foe all the great information.
I have read that soaking almonds for a few hours helps to make them easier to digest, what is your opinion on this ? Thanks in advance
HI Diane
Diana Herrington of Real Food For Life wrote an article on that at : https://www.realfoodforlife.com/sprouting-nuts-seeds/ Thanks for your participation!
Hi Diana,
Pierrette soaks them overnight.We blend them with water to make the greatest nut milk ever and use it to make our fruit smoothies every morning for the whole family.
The fruits act as “eliminators” and help to improve the digestive flow.
We do not need all the fibre and having juice is the best way to get all the nutritional values from fruits and vegetables without all the calories.
Pierre
Thee Quest
Hi! Do you think almond milk is better than rice milk, which i’ve been using for years? Thanks.
Diane, sorry I did not see your post. Yes for sure soak them; to learn more see the post: https://www.realfoodforlife.com/sprouting-nuts-seeds/
Pierre, you two do much like I do; I love almond milk. Yes you are so on right about all the goodness.
Hi Paul! Yes I do as it is more alkaline forming and we need all the help we can get with that…especially if we make it our self. Did you see the post https://www.realfoodforlife.com/almond-milk-dairy-free/
Few almonds are actually raw: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/23/BUE8RN9HJ.DTL&type=printable
However, these people: http://www.organicpastures.com/raw_almonds.html sell truly raw almonds.
Take care
Thank you Kevin for the links which US people will appreciate.
I am happy that in Canada we can easily get raw almonds; we just do not get them from the US any more if we want raw almonds. I believe that the US is the only place in the world to not have an easy supply of raw almonds.
Thanks for the great info on almonds! I’m glad to hear that almonds are alkaline forming. Previously I had heard that macadamias were the only alkaline forming nuts. If both are right, that’s great news, because that means my two favorite nuts are both alkaline forming.
and the good thing about almonds,(tried and tested many times) after about 3 weeks of having about 60 a day wth weight traing u see amazing results!
I eat almonds in several forms and love them! You haven’t mentioned almond butter. What about the nutritional value of roasted or raw almond butter, since neither are soaked first? I do use soaked ground almonds in my smoothies every morning plus almond milk.
Thanks for the great article!
Sunny, I believe almond butter that is roasted would have much of the nutrition in them except that mostly they do add some extra oil to create a smoother consistency.
Raw almond butter is one of those foods I do not buy as I do not think it is as digestible. You can make your own which I hear is a lot of work using raw almonds that you soakeds, then dehydrate and then blended for a long time.
thank u so much , great information
could u please let me know if almond meal does the same as above
Rose, in my baking I use blanched almond flour which means the almonds that have had their skin removed. The skin is where many of the nutrients are. You could make your own almond meal with the skins on but probably will not work so well in baking. Also, because it is blanched you will get many of the other nutrients as the blanching will stop the enzyme inhibitor from blocking the absorbtion of nutrients.
Please tell me what the nutritional value is in almond milk. When I read the nutritional
values on the carton it doesn’t appear to have much. What is all that liquid comprised of. It can’t be all almond liquid…
The reason it does not have that much in nutrients is because to make the almond milk you have to use lots of water. See the Almond milk recipe we have here. Sorry I do not keep track of specific nutrients in foods. There are many sites that specialize in that and that is all they do.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate your efforts and I am waiting for your next write ups thank you once again.
What’s up, just wanted to say, I loved this blog post. It was helpful.
Keep on posting!
I know a lot about the health benefits of almonds so that’s the reason why I started eating almonds since child.
Thanks a lot for the informatio. I always use the almonds by soak it whole night and then peel out the skin. Any dis advantage to do so…please give me a reply Diana
. Thsnks.
Hi Diana, Very informative article. Almonds are a natural super food. If substituted for high fat and low nutritional value snacks, they can help men of all ages attain a stronger, efficient body and a sharp mind.
Is there any disadvantages , misuse or abuse in consumption
Thankz
For sharing great information about almonds
I regularly take almonds
I love reading the benefits of almonds because I eat them almost every day. Nevertheless, are there any side effects?
I really like your content keep posting such valuable posts. keep going. You can see more benifits of almonds