Almond Benefits

Almond Benefits

Almond benefits are numerous and if you aren’t not nuts about this nut hopefully you will be after reading this article.

Almonds and walnuts are my two go to nuts but this article is dedicated to almond benefits.

Almonds are a super nutritious nut and almond benefits include supporting heart health, good cholesterol levels, weight loss, and gastrointestinal health.

Almonds are high in fiber, protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, and they are the reasons behind almond benefits.

Almond Benefits: Nutrition

Almonds are a nutritional power house and one cup of whole almonds supplies: 30 grams of protein, 70% DV of fiber, 38% DV of calcium, 30% DV of iron, 187% DV of vitamin E, 85% DV of riboflavin, 96% of magnesium, 69% phosphorus, and 134% of manganese. Check here for a more complete listing of almond nutrition.

Almonds and almond benefits play key roles in supporting muscle, intestinal, bone, blood, and skin health. The synergy of almonds nutrients go beyond what their individual almond benefits can do.

Almond Benefits: Anti-Inflammatory

I think many if not most of us have heard that omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory. Almonds have shown repeatedly in studies to have an anti-inflammatory affect on the body, though it has a ridiculously high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.

One cup of almonds contains 17253mg of omega-6 to 8.6mg of omega-3, and yet it still has an anti-inflammatory affect on the body. One of the almond benefits is that it lowers C-reactive protein levels which are a key marker of inflammation in the body.

It appears it is the synergy of almond’s phytonutrients like gamma tocopherol and other nutrients like vitamin E that give almonds its special anti-inflammatory ability.

Too much inflammation is the root to disease and leads to health issues like heart disease and arthritis.

Almond Benefits: Heart Health – Lowers Cholesterol

Not only are almonds high in the electrolyte magnesium which supports proper electrical activity in the heart and muscles, studies show the eating almonds lowers cholesterol. Almonds are loaded with monounsaturated fats, and the combination of these fats, fiber, nutrients, and phytonutrients have been shown to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, while not affecting “good” HDL cholesterol levels.

Increased levels of LDL cholesterol in the body compromises healthy living and triggers an inflammatory response which eventually leads to a buildup up plaque in the arteries. This buildup compromises heart health and leads to heart disease and erectile dysfunction.

Almond Benefits: Heart Health – Gastrointestinal Health

Another one of “almond benefits” is almonds are loaded with fiber. Fiber helps to bulk up waste in the intestine which makes it easier for the muscles of the intestine to move waste out of the body. When there is no enough fiber in the waste the muscles have to work extra hard to move waste through which can lead to diverticulitis.

Diverticula are pouches that form in the intestine wall that collect waste that becomes toxic, and the toxins are spread throughout the body.

Almond Benefits: Weight Loss

Almonds are rich in fiber, energy (good fats), vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and they are calorie dense. The fiber fills the stomach and regulates the speed digestion of the almond’s nutrients, and this helps clam hunger and the need to eat.

Studies have shown that eating almonds and almond benefits support weight loss, gastrointestinal health, lowering cholesterol, inflammation reduction, and heart health.

Incorporate almonds and almond benefits into a plant based diet to supercharge your healthy living.

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References:
Dose response of almonds on coronary heart disease
Rajaram S, Connell KM, Sabaté J. Effect of almond-enriched high-monounsaturated fat diet on selected markers of inflammation: a randomised, controlled, crossover study. Br J Nutr . 2010;103(6):907-912.
Study shows almonds’ anti-inflammation
Jenkins, DJA. Kendall CW. Marchie A. Parker TL. Connelly PW. Qian W. Haight JS. Faulkner D. Vidgen E. Lapsley KG. Spiller GA. Dose response of almonds on coronary heart disease risk factors: blood lipids, oxidized low-density lipoproteins, lipoprotein(a), homocysteine, and pulmonary nitric oxide: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. Circulation. 106(11):1327-32, 2002 Sep 10.

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