Health Benefits Almonds Walnuts – Almonds are the most popular nuts in the United States. Almonds have become a favorite among dieters in recent years due to their versatility and health benefits.
According to the USDA, Americans’ demand for almonds has increased more than 400 percent since 1980. In 2016, Americans ate an average of 1.8 pounds. (816 grams) almonds each.
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Health Benefits Almonds Walnuts
There is a good reason for a love affair. “Almonds have been extensively studied for their benefits on heart health, diabetes and weight management,” said Jenny Heep, a registered dietitian with the Almond Board of California. “Almonds’ unique blend of nutrients — plant protein, fiber, and monounsaturated fats, plus key nutrients like vitamin E and magnesium — help make them a heart-healthy snack.”
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A 2017 study published in Nutrition Journal found that Americans, especially children, who replaced snack foods with almonds or other nuts, experienced a significant increase in nutrient intake. In a study of more than 17,000 children and adults, participants replaced all of their snacks with almonds and . The researchers found that the participants consumed fewer empty calories, solid fats, sodium, saturated fats, carbohydrates, and added sugars. The good oils and fats increased significantly as well as magnesium, fiber and protein by a small margin.
Technically, almonds are not real nuts at all. The edible part we call a nut is actually a seed, and the almond itself is waste, according to the University of California Riverside Department of Botany. Sometimes called “fruit with a pit,” the pods have a hard shell surrounding a shell that contains a seed. Peaches and apricots, close cousins to almonds, are common examples of drupes. Like these relatives, almonds grow on beautiful flowering trees and grow in warm, dry climates.
The almond tree (Prunus dulcis), also related to cherries and peaches, is native to western Asia and southern Europe. According to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, Spanish missionaries brought almonds to the New World, but the nut’s popularity did not rise until the 20th century. Today, the United States is the largest supplier of almonds in the world. California is the only state that produces almonds commercially. This may change, however, as California’s water supply decreases.
“Ounce for ounce, almonds are rich in more fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin than any other tree nut,” Hebb told Live Science. “Each ounce (about 23 almonds) provides 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, plus vitamin E, magnesium, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium. In addition, almonds are a low glycemic index food.”
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A 2005 study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that almonds contain the most nutrients if eaten whole, with their brown rind (unpeeled), rather than steamed (blanched) rind. The study identified 20 powerful antioxidant flavonoids in the skin of almonds. Besides the high vitamin E content in almond meat, these flavonoids give almonds a unique nutritional package that may have effects on cholesterol levels, inflammation, and more.
Here are nutritional facts about almonds, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates food labeling through the Food Labeling and Education Act:
Perhaps the best known quality of almonds is that they are good for your heart. “Nearly two decades of research shows that almonds can help maintain a healthy heart and healthy cholesterol levels,” Hebb said. A 2009 article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) looked at the evidence for nut consumption and a variety of health issues. She noted that in four large-scale studies considered major in this area – the Iowa Women’s Health Study (1996), the Adventist Health Study (1992), the Nurses’ Health Study (1998), and the Physicians’ Health Study (2002) – nut consumption was associated with a lower risk of heart disease Together, the studies showed a mean reduction in risk of death from heart disease of 37 percent, or “8.3 percent…per weekly serving of nuts.”
“A growing body of evidence suggests that choosing almonds regularly in place of snacks rich in refined carbohydrates is a simple nutritional strategy to help support heart health,” Hebb said. In another review of the evidence, published in 1999 in Current Atherosclerosis Reports, researchers looked at the Nurses’ Health Study and estimated that eating nuts instead of an equivalent amount of carbohydrates reduced the risk of heart disease by 30 percent. Replacing nuts with saturated fats, such as those found in meat and dairy products, reduced the estimated risk by 45 percent.
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Replacing almonds with saturated fats may also help lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). A 1994 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at men with normal cholesterol levels and found that those who supplemented their diets with almonds for three weeks experienced a 10 percent reduction in levels of LDL cholesterol.
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Nutrition looked at 82 people with high LDL cholesterol. For six weeks, they ate a low-cholesterol diet containing a third of a cup of almonds or a muffin with the same number of calories. The participants then switched up their diet for another six weeks. The researchers found that the almond diet resulted in better distribution of HDL cholesterol and more effective cholesterol removal. However, these effects were only seen in participants of normal weight.
A serving of almonds provides 5 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium, which is essential for heart health, according to the American Heart Association. Several studies have linked potassium to lower blood pressure because it promotes vasodilation (widening of blood vessels), according to Today’s Dietitian. The journal article cited a study of 12,000 adults, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which showed that those who consumed 4,069 mg of potassium each day reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease by 37 percent and 49 percent, over respectively, compared to those who took 1,793 mg daily.
Magnesium is also essential for heart health. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, some doctors have seen positive results from giving patients who have had heart failure doses of magnesium. There may also be an association between a lower risk of heart disease in men and magnesium intake.
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Hebb noted that in 2003, the Food and Drug Administration approved a “qualified health claim recognizing that California almonds may help reduce heart disease risk.” The official statement stated:
Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of almonds (28 g) contains 13 g of unsaturated fat and only 1 g of saturated fat.”
Almonds may be beneficial for those with hyperlipidemia (excess fats or lipoproteins in the blood). These patients used to stay away from nuts because of their fat content, but a study published in 2002 in the journal Circulation showed that hyperlipidemia patients who ate almonds as a snack experienced a significant reduction in heart disease risk factors.
“With their combination of protein, fiber, good fats, and satisfying crunch, almonds are a smart snack option to help keep hunger at bay while satisfying cravings,” Hebb said. While she noted that “several studies have shown that choosing almonds as a daily snack does not lead to changes in body weight,” replacing them with other snacks may help dieters. A 2003 study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders suggested that combining almonds with a diet low in calories and monounsaturated fats resulted in more weight loss than a low-calorie diet with lots of complex carbohydrates. Another recent study, published in 2015 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, looked at substituting almonds for a cake with the same calorie value and found that although participants did not lose weight in either group, the almond-eating group experienced a reduction in belly fat and waist circumference. And fat legs, as well as improving levels of harmful cholesterol.
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Almonds can also be a more satisfying snack than their high-carb counterparts. “Its combination of protein, fiber, and good fats makes it a satisfying snack option that can help prevent you from reaching for empty calorie options between meals,” Hebb said. In fact, a recent study showed that women who ate a mid-morning snack of 1-1.5 ounces of almonds felt more full and ate fewer calories at subsequent meals.
As if that wasn’t good enough news, almonds may also help prevent weight gain. A five-year study by Loma Linda University researchers and published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2017 found that people who ate nuts, including almonds, were more likely to stop waiting with a 5 percent lower risk of being overweight or overweight. ghee. The study evaluated more than 73,000 Europeans between the ages of 25 and 70 and found that while most participants gained an average of 2.1kg over five years, those who ate nuts regularly gained less weight. Lead researcher, Dr. Joanne Sabati, suggested that people replace animal protein in the center of their dishes with nuts.
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