Recent Articles

Is Hoodia a Safe and Effective Supplement?
After 15 days the Hoodia Gordonii group had reduced their calorie intake by 1000 calories a day.
Read more...
 
 
Treating Gout Naturally
The herb devil's claw, an extract from the grapple plant, is sometimes recommended as a pain-relieving treatment for gout.
Read more...
 
 
What Are The Health Benefits Of Green Tea?
Green tea can be helpful for dieters as it promotes fat loss, specifically visceral fat.
Read more...
 
 
10 Good Reasons to Avoid Sodas
Sodas provide the human body with empty calories that lack any nutrients, and these calories are generally converted into fat.
Read more...
 
 

The Psychology of Overeating
What is your relationship to food and more importantly, to your body?
Read more...
 
 
Health Benefits of Avocados
Avocado oil strengthens the skin by stimulating collagen, thereby reducing wrinkles and improving skin texture.
Read more...
 
 

Quotes

A little wine is an antidote to death, in large amounts it is the poison of life

Persian Proverb
The Nutrient Packed Almond
almonds
The almond is believed to have originally been cultivated in Asia and North Africa, and it was Spanish missionaries who first brought almonds to California. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United States is the largest producer of almonds in the world.

The almond featured significantly in different cultures throughout history. The Romans would shower the bride and groom with almonds as a blessing of fertility. In Egypt, almonds were used in bread that was served exclusively to the Pharaohs. There are also several references to the almond in the Bible.

The almond tree is closely related to the peach, apricot and cherry. There are two types of almonds, sweet and bitter. The sweet almonds are those that are eaten, the bitter almonds are toxic, and are inedible until processed for oil for use in flavorings and liqueurs.

Health Benefits of Almonds

  • Nutrients
    Almonds are an excellent source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils, protein, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin E. They are a good source of antioxidant flavonoids.
  • Reduce Damage From Smoking
    In a study involving 60 healthy male smokers and 30 healthy non-smokers, it was found that the antioxidant nutrients found in almonds could increase antioxidant defenses and reduce oxidative damage in smokers.
  • Weight Loss
    There is some concern of weight gain from consumption of the fat content in almonds. A study of twenty women was conducted which demonstrated that ten weeks of daily almond consumption did not affect weight. In another 24-week trial, it was concluded that a low calorie diet supplemented with almonds was effective in a greater and more sustained loss of weight.
  • Blood Sugar
    In a human study it was found that almonds helped stabilize blood sugar levels after eating, and a decrease in insulin levels in the blood were also recorded. Stable blood sugar levels help to protect against heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
  • Cholesterol
    In recent studies it has been demonstrated that almonds significantly reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, which may lessen the risk of heart disease.
  • Cancer
     In preliminary studies, results suggest that almonds may be helpful in the prevention of colon cancer.
Nutrient Values of Almonds per 100g
Calories
575kcal
Energy Value
2408kj
Total Fat
49.42g
Carbohydrates
20g
Sugars
5g
Dietary Fiber
12g
Protein
21g
Sodium
1mg
Zinc
3.2mg
Potassium
157mg
Iron
3mg
Magnesium
270mg
Copper
1mg
Calcium
240mg
Vitamin C
8mg
Vitamin E
24mg
Vit. B3 (Niacin)
6.5mg
Vitamin B6
0.15mg
Vit. B1 (Thiamin)
0.21mg
Vit. B2 (Riboflavin)
0.75mg

References:
1. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno.
2. Benders' Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology.
3. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
4. Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Josse AR, Salvatore S, Brighenti F, Augustin LS, Ellis PR, Vidgen E, Rao AV. Almonds decrease postprandial glycemia, insulinemia, and oxidative damage in healthy individuals. J Nutr. 2006 Dec;136(12):2987-92. PMID: 17116708.
5. Hollis J, Mattes R. Effect of chronic consumption of almonds on body weight in healthy humans. Br J Nutr. 2007 Sep;98(3):651-6. Epub 2007 Apr 20. PMID: 17445351.
6. Wien MA, Sabaté JM, Iklé DN, Cole SE, Kandeel FR. Almonds vs complex carbohydrates in a weight reduction program. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Nov;27(11):1365-72. PMID: 14574348.  
 
Elements4Health
The information within this website is intended as reference material only and not as medical or professional advice.
Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms.