Nutritional Values and Health Benefits of Almonds!

By John C. Barnard Last updated Apr 21, 2022 0

Almonds are a nutrient-dense, low-carbohydrate food that may be cooked with or consumed raw. Salted, unsalted, raw, or roasted almonds are available. Almonds can also be used in a variety of ways. They can be processed into almond meals, converted into almond butter, or made into almond milk.

According to research, consuming nuts on a regular basis may help with heart health and other health benefits.

Almond is a good option since they provide protein, fiber, and minerals like vitamin E and iron. Almonds, both raw and roasted, are salt-free, which is beneficial for persons with a history of hypertension or who want to reduce their sodium consumption for other reasons.

Nutritional Information about Almonds

The USDA provides nutrition facts for one ounce of almonds (28g) or around 24 whole almonds.

164 calories
14.2 g fat
Sodium (mg): 0.3
6.1 g carbohydrate
3.5 g fiber
1.2 g sugar
6 g protein

Carbs

Almonds contain 6.1 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Almonds are high in fiber and have a lower glycemic index than many other nuts,3 making them an excellent choice for low-carb dieters.

Fats

Almonds are high-fat foods, containing roughly 22% of the daily recommended fat intake in just one ounce. However, monounsaturated fat, which has cardioprotective characteristics, makes up the majority of the fat in almonds. 4 A serving of almonds contains little over 1 gram of saturated fat, 9 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 3.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat.

Protein

Almonds are a superb plant-based protein source since they contain tiny amounts of all necessary and non-essential amino acids. An ounce of almonds has 6 grams of protein.

Minerals and vitamins

One ounce of almonds provides 37 percent of the daily recommended vitamin E intake, 8% of the daily recommended calcium intake, and 6% of the daily recommended iron intake.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that also helps to enhance immunological function. Calcium is necessary for the proper construction of teeth and bones. Iron aids in the creation of hormones and the delivery of oxygen to muscles.

Manganese and magnesium are abundant in almonds. Manganese is required for the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, and cholesterol. Magnesium has a role in more than 300 metabolic pathways, including energy production, protein synthesis, cell signaling, and structural functions such as bone formation.

Calories

Almonds are a high-calorie food, with 164 calories per ounce. The majority of the calories come from healthy fat, with carbs and protein accounting for a lesser portion of the total.

Health Advantages

Almonds are highly advocated because of their nutritional and health benefits. Scientific research has provided some insight into how almond consumption may affect human health.

Heart Disease Risk is Reduced

According to a 2016 assessment of 29 studies, eating 28 grams of nuts per day as part of a low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet may lower the risk of heart disease.

This could be due to the fact that almonds contain lipid-lowering monounsaturated fat, fiber, and vitamin E.

Almonds are also high in phytonutrients, including plant sterols and flavonoids, which are heart-healthy and antioxidant-rich.

Enjoy your almonds with the skins on to get the most nutrition (flavonoids are concentrated there).

Assists in the reduction of cholesterol

Almond consumption has been linked to reducing LDL cholesterol levels in studies looking into the health benefits of nuts in general. Because high levels of low-density lipoproteins are connected to heart disease, they are referred to as “bad cholesterol.”

Higher HDL cholesterol levels have also been associated with almond consumption. Because it aids in the removal of LDL cholesterol from the body, HDL is known as “good cholesterol.”

Almonds could even be a metal used in the treatment of persons with high cholesterol who don’t want to take or can’t tolerate huge dosages of medication, according to the study’s authors.

Reduces the risk of diabetes and makes it easier to manage.

According to several research, increasing magnesium consumption is linked to a lower risk of acquiring diabetes.

8Almonds may provide this advantage since they contain magnesium. However, there is other data that suggests eating almonds can help avoid diabetes.

For example, a 12-week trial of adolescents and young adults at risk of diabetes indicated that those who ingested 56 grams of almonds daily had lower HbA1c, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels.

Almond consumption has also been linked to improved blood sugar and lipid profiles in people with diabetes, according to certain research.

Gut health is aided.

The health benefits of almonds were investigated in a comprehensive scientific review released in 2021. The benefits of nuts to the gut flora were highlighted by the researchers. They discovered that eating the nuts improves colon health by increasing microbiota richness and diversity, improving microflora ratios, and increasing concentrations of health-promoting colonic bioactive. 12

It’s possible that it’ll help with your metabolism.

Almonds may have metabolic benefits, according to the same 2021 research review. Authors discovered that almond-rich diets made study participants feel less hungry and satiated, as well as enhanced resting energy expenditure. Almonds, as compared to other nuts, helped to reduce body weight and fat mass in a minor but substantial way. 12

Allergies

Almonds are a type of nut that grows on trees. Tree nut allergies are one of the eight most prevalent food allergies in the United States, affecting 0.5 to 1% of the population, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 13

Abdominal pain, cramps, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, itching, nasal congestion, nausea, or shortness of breath are all symptoms of an allergic reaction.

14 Because severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, can occur, persons with a tree nut allergy should keep epinephrine on hand at all times. 13

Cross-reactivity to birch pollen is another allergy problem (one of the causes of hay fever). Pollen food syndrome, often known as oral allergy syndrome, is the name given to this ailment. 15 Almond allergy sufferers may also have allergies to other nuts and stone fruits.

Negative Effects

When you eat almonds, you are unlikely to encounter any negative side effects. If you have a salt sensitivity or have been diagnosed with hypertension, you should choose your nuts carefully. Nut mixtures and flavored almond types may contain high levels of salt and are not suitable for everyone.

Varieties

Almonds come in over 30 different types. Nonpareil is the most popular type, and it is widely grown in California, accounting for 40% of total almond production. This cultivar, which is more than 120 years old, has a delicate shell and a medium-sized kernel. Sonora, Aldrich, Winters, and Carmel are some of the other varieties.16

When It’s the Most Effective

Almonds are harvested in California from August to October. Almonds, on the other hand, are available all year in grocery shops and supermarkets around the country.

Food Storage and Safety

If you have almonds in the shell, you can keep them in the pantry for about six months after you buy them. They survive around 16 months when refrigerated and about 20 months when frozen. 17 Keep the nuts fresh by storing them in an airtight container.

In the pantry, almonds without the shell will survive four months, eight months in the refrigerator, and ten months in the freezer.

How to Get Ready

Almonds, whether raw or roasted, are nutrient-dense snacks on their own. Salads, yogurt, and oatmeal can all benefit from the crunch and taste of almonds, making them more satiating and pleasant.

Almond products can also be used in a variety of ways. Use almond butter on celery or apples, unsweetened almond milk in shakes, sauces, and eggnog, or almond meal in pancakes. When creating stuffing or coating a fish fillet, almonds can be used instead of bread crumbs.