From promoting heart health to aiding in weight management, the health benefits of almonds are numerous and impressive. Almonds are full of healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
You might have been suggested by many of your elders to eat badam but have you wondered what exactly is the reason behind this?
Whether you love almonds or not you can’t deny its benefits. Almonds are found everywhere. You can find it on the top of your favourite milkshakes and ice creams, mixed in milk to seasoning, for the youngest to eldest, across the globe due to the extensive nutritional profile and proven health benefits of almonds. Their consumption has been linked not only to physical health but mental health as well.
Nutritional Profile per serving (15g):
- Calories: 91 kcal
- Fat: 8.8g
- Carbohydrates: 1.6g
- Fibre: 1.96g
- Protein: 3g
- Calcium: 34 mg
- Iron: 0.7mg
- Omega 3: 4.8mg
- Folate: 5.47mg
Different Varieties of Almonds:
There are many different varieties of Almonds available in India each having a unique taste, flavour and appearance.
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1. California Paper Shell Almonds:
These are light brown coloured almonds with very thin shells and are highly aromatic.
2. Shalimar Almonds:
These are brown-coloured and big-sized almonds with pointy ends usually harvested during the mid-season. They’re very crunchy and flavourful.
3. Nonpareil Almonds:
They mature faster than other varieties and develop into thick nuts with thin shells.
4. Pranyaj:
These are flat-shaped almonds and are usually not too big or too small. Their shell is darker in colour and it makes them appear distinct.
5. Mukhdoom:
These are light-coloured with semi-soft shells and plump shapes.
6. Drake:
These are variable in size and can range from small to medium. Their colour is also variable and can be light or dark brown. One end of these nuts is round and another is sharper.
7. Neplus:
These appear longer and flatter than other varieties of almonds with shells having small wrinkles.
8. Waris:
These are the widest almonds, usually medium-sized with a pointed apex on one end and a bulge on the other.
How To Consume Almonds?
Almonds can be consumed raw, as they are. However, it’s best to consume almonds without the skin because the skin contains tannins which inhibit nutrient absorption. That’s why it’s recommended to soak the almonds overnight so it’s easier to peel the skin off.
You can add peeled almonds to your smoothies or cereals or make almond milk from it which can be used for tea, milkshakes, etc.
Health Benefits of Almonds:
1. Enhance Memory
You may have heard this a million times but almonds are indeed good for memory, and such revelations when backed by science, have a long way to go.
Research shows that it helps in improving memory and executive function. While the alpha-tocopherol present in almonds indirectly acts as a protector of brain cells. With that, almonds are also rich in riboflavin which has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties.
And if there’s something better than almonds for memory then it’s almonds mixed with milk because milk with almonds produces potassium and increases electrolyte levels in the body which in turn sharpens memory.
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2. Better Digestive Health
This healthy nut supports healthy microbiota by promoting microflora richness and diversity, increasing symbiotic bacteria and reducing pathogenic bacteria. On the other hand, it also improves fibre metabolism by increasing butyrate and other SCFA-producing bacteria and reducing faecal pH.
With the emerging importance of the gut and its relation with overall health, almonds have the shimmering benefit of improving metabolic health markers by improving the diversity and composition of the colonic microbiota.
3. Fight Food Cravings
If you are trying to lose weight or are on a specific type of calorie-restrictive diet then having some almonds can be helpful to fight off those random hunger pangs and food cravings.
Almond is a crunchy and tasty snack and it is a lot healthier than most other commercial snacks out there. Just take them up and chew on them and they will reduce the hunger and desire to eat in your hunger times. It’s not just a saying, it’s science!
It’s a high calorie-dense snack which acts like a low energy dense food when consumed, and guilty as charged, that’s what we want right…?
Almonds being rich in fibre keep you fuller for a longer time as compared to other snacks loaded with sugar and fats giving you empty calories without any essential micronutrients.
4. Enhance Meal Quality
Quality over quantity, and this nut takes care of it. Research shows that almond consumers had higher diet quality in the sense of higher intakes of protein, healthier unsaturated fatty acids, fibre, folate, vitamin E, and magnesium, and lower starch, sugar, and sodium.
Thus, this quality nut has you all covered on many macros and micros. Just believe in the quality and become a consumer. This may not sound like the actual health benefits of almonds but improving the wholesomeness of your meal will certainly help your overall health.
5. Prevent Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a modern-day pandemic linked with several other diseases. It is generally considered to be a lifestyle-related disorder because it often accompanies other conditions like obesity and bad food habits.
Almonds contain polyphenols mainly flavonoids as well as it has a slow gastric emptying effect, with this dual mechanism, almonds significantly reduce the HbA1c as well as the fasting blood glucose levels.
You may think, simply eating almonds may not protect you from diabetes. Well, you are right about that. However, including almonds in your diet regularly will work positively in your favour against diabetes.
6. Promotes Heart Health
Almonds as a snack are not only calorie-conscious but also heart conscious. Research shows that almonds help in the reduction of LDL cholesterol as well as helps in maintaining and also increasing HDL cholesterol levels.
Regular consumption of almonds in the proper amount is very important and a practical strategy for managing dyslipidemia, one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in India.
It’s not just that, almonds also help in significant reduction of diastolic blood pressure. To sum it up, almonds are a simple trick to keep your heart healthy.
7. Aid in Weight Loss
Many studies have demonstrated that fibre-rich foods help in weight loss. Almonds being a rich source of fibre can help you feel fuller for a long time which means less snacking and less calorie intake.
Research also shows that almond consumption helps in the reduction of total and truncal fat mass and an increase in fat-free mass. This might be due to high unsaturated fatty acid content which has high fat oxidation rates.
It also helps the good microbes to grow in our intestines which keeps obesity in check and plays an important role in reducing body and fat mass, other weight measures, and promoting metabolic health.
8. Alleviates Inflammation
Blood reports have a recent addition of C-Reactive protein, a test to measure the inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. This is another one of the health benefits of almonds.
Almond consumption significantly reduces CRP levels with the help of high MUFA content as well as magnesium, arginine and phytochemicals, which also help in reducing inflammatory mediators.
In specification to smokers, it helps you quit it better, by assisting you by reducing the oxidative stress caused by it.
9. Reduces Uric Acid
Worried about an increase in uric acid levels, it’s time to hydrate and start incorporating almonds. Almonds have a uricemia-lowering effect, which assists you to manage increased levels well.
10. Rich in Vitamin E and Anti-oxidants
Almonds are one of the best sources of vitamin E in the whole world. An ounce (or 28.35 g) of almonds provides up to 48% of the daily requirement of vitamin E.
Let’s come to the anti-oxidants in almonds now. For those who don’t know, vitamin E is also an antioxidant. The rest of the anti-oxidants are, however, present in the brown layer of these tasty nuts. This is the main reason for this particular health benefit of almonds sitting at the bottom of our list.
When we blanch or soak and remove the outer peeling, we lose almost all of the nuts’ anti-oxidants. So, technically it may be redundant to mention this. But, eating the skin does prove to be beneficial in this way.
Conclusion:
This wonder nut, with spectrums of benefits, increases the Healthy Eating Index of every consumer, making it a perfect partner to a healthy life. Carry it in your tiffin or pop it as a mid-meal, add it in a milkshake or powder it and have it. Welcome it into your life and it will help you increase your quality of life.
Start including these super healthy nuts in your daily diet to build immunity against diseases!
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