"Top 10" -- Almonds/Almond Butter

Almonds are crunchy, delicious, and have many health benefits. According to several studies, people who eat the most nuts are less likely to be overweight.1  In fact, because protein and fat are filling, eating almonds in limited quantities may actually help people to lose weight.1 The fat in almonds is primarily heart healthy monosaturated fat, so not to worry.1

Almonds are a component of the Mediterranean diet, an eating plan that has been proven to reduce heart disease.1  Even diabetics can eat almonds because they contain very few carbohydrates.1  Almonds are a good source of protein and fiber and they contain calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin E.1  In fact, just a 1/4 cup of almonds contains approximately 25% of the daily value of magnesium at 99 mg and about 257 mg of potassium.2  Both of these minerals are critical to healthy blood pressure.

The FDA made an official health announcement in 2003 which says, “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces of most nuts, like almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”1  Johnny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, believes that the FDA language is too guarded and he claims there is an abundance of evidence that proves heart disease risk is reduced by eating almonds.1

Eating almonds reduces surges in blood sugar after meals which may help to prevent diabetes.2  In one study, the glycemic indexes of healthy participants who included almonds or almond butter with their high glycemic meals were reduced by more than 40 points, and the more almonds eaten the more the glycemic response was reduced.2  For example, spreading almond butter on morning toast may curb sharp rises in blood sugar.

Bowden suggests that blending several tablespoons of almonds with some water produces healthy almond milk.1  Almond milk is great in smoothies!  Eating almond butter is another way to incorporate these healthy nuts into the diet. Bowden recommends spreading it on celery sticks or sliced apples for easy snacks.1

Almonds are at their freshest and in season during mid-summer, though packaged almonds are available year round.2  Almonds can be found almost anyplace that food is sold.  Interestingly, California's 6,000 almond growers supply 100% of our domestic supply and export almonds to more than 90 nations, with Germany and Japan being the largest export consumers.3

1Bowden, J. 2007. The 150 healthiest foods on earth: the surprising unbiased truth about what you should eat and why. Beverly, MA: Fair Winds Press.
2World's Healthiest Foods.  Almonds. 2010. Retrieved from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20 on September 5, 2010.
3Waterfood Nut Company. 2010. Retrieved from http://www.waterfordnut.com/facts.html on September 6, 2010.