Almonds

Almonds are delicious, heart-healthy nuts that can be incorporated into so many ways in your diet. Whether you eat them raw, roasted, in granola, on oats, in salads, savory dishes, or maybe as almond milk/yogurt/ice cream – you will reap and enjoy their nutritional benefits.

  • Almonds are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (the same glorious goodness as olive oil & avocados), which has been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease.
  • Don’t be scared of the fat in almonds! A 28-month study published in the journal Obesity, showed that people who ate nuts at least twice a week were much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never ate nuts.
  • Five large human studies, which looked at how disease spreads and can be controlled, estimated that substituting nuts for the same amount of carbohydrates in an average diet resulted in a 30% reduction in heart disease risk. A reduction of 45% occurred when fat from nuts was substituted for saturated fats, which are found primarily in meat and dairy products.
  • Almonds have the antioxidant power of Vitamin E, which supports cell damage and gives you beautiful skin and hair.
  • Almonds may protect against colon cancer. In an animal study, it was found that animals given whole almonds had less signs of colon cancer, including fewer rapidly dividing cells.
  • Almonds have potassium, an important mineral that is essential for regulating normal blood pressure and happy heart function.
  • They may also decrease after-meal spikes in blood sugar levels, great for maintaining normal blood sugar.
  • The flavonoids found in almond’s skin mixed with the Vitamin E in almond’s meat gives those little nuts super antioxidant powers for an overall healthy immune system and bod.
  • Almonds are also a very good source of manganese and copper, both which help to get rid of nasty free radicals produced in our bodies.

Vegukate Tips:

Store shelled almonds in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Refrigerated almonds will keep for several months, while frozen almonds can be kept for up to a year.