Product Category

Almonds

Category: Nuts

The King Of Nuts

Almonds are the most alkaline of all nuts. They are also amongst the most nutritionally balanced foods. Rich in Vit E, the B-Group Vitamins, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. As such, they counteract stress and promote healthy nerve function.

Just a few each day is the healthy way.

More Info

The almond is the seed of a small rosaceous tree that is cultivated around the world but is native to Western Asia. Technically, the almond is a stone fruit or a seed, related to the cherry, the plum and the peach. It therefore contains nutrients found in each of the four basic food groups.

It is a very good source of protein and vitamin E, as well as essential minerals, unsaturated oils, carbohydrates and dietary fibre, as well as disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants. Current and ongoing research suggests that it may be highly beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer, maintaining a healthy body weight and controlling and managing diabetes.

It is low in sodium and contains no cholesterol. What is more, almonds make a healthy, tasty snack or addition to any meal. Just a handful a day (about 23 almonds) may help you maintain a healthy heart while taking in a variety of important nutrients.

Nutritional Analysis of Almonds

An analysis of almonds shows that they contain nutrients found in all four basic food groups: dairy, meat, vegetables and fruit. It is therefore rich in proteins for building strength, vitamins and minerals for protection, and carbohydrates for energy. It is also a good source of fibre, as well as phytochemicals for fighting and preventing disease. One researcher remarked that he had never seen such a diversity of phytochemicals in a single food source.

The great thing is that it contains zero cholesterol, and most of the fats are unsaturated.

Here is a more complete (but by no means exhaustive) breakdown of nutrients found in a 100-gram serving of almonds:

A very good source of Vitamin E – about 8 mg in every ounce (about 28.35 grams).
An exceptionally good source of riboflavin as well as iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper.
An exceptionally good source of calcium – one ounce of almonds provides as much calcium as a glass of milk.
Sodium content 333 mg.
Total carbohydrates 19 g.
Dietary fibre 10 g.
The vegetable protein (19 g) in almonds provides an excellent dietary alternative to animal protein.
The natural oil found in almonds is highly unsaturated and cholesterol free.
Almonds provide the best ratio of nutrients to calories of any nut.
The nutritional benefits of almonds exceed that of any other marketed nut.

Almonds and Heart Disease

A study presented at the American Heart Association’s Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention in San Francisco in March 2004 showed that even a small ration of almonds (85 grams a day) enhanced weight loss, reduced blood pressure and significantly improved risk factors associated with heart disease. Because almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients as well as phyto-chemicals, they may help protect against cardiovascular disease. Another study showed that those who consumed nuts five times a week reduced their risk of heart attacks by 50%.

Almonds and Cancer Prevention

Because of the low amounts of saturated fat, the protective nutrients and the phytochemicals, almonds may help protect against cancer. Almonds are the best whole food source of vitamin E, in the form of alpha-tocopherol, which may help prevent cancer.

Almonds and Weight Management

The study presented in San Francisco also suggested that losing weight may not depend purely on the number of calories consumed and the number of calories burned through energy expenditure. The two groups tested both consumed the same number of calories, but the group that consumed almonds, which contain mono-unsaturated fats, lost more weight. A study published in 2005 also suggested that the fibre and protein found in almonds may contribute toward a sense of being full, reducing the desire to consume more calories and helping with the maintenance of weight. This study showed that including almonds in the diet even reduced the absorption of calories from other food sources.

Although traditionally the almond has been associated with weight gain, the new findings have led some to believe that the body may not be absorbing all the fat in almonds. Another study has concluded that the cell walls of almonds act as a physical barrier to the absorption of fat, which is later excreted from the body without contributing calories.

Almonds and Diabetes

An important revelation from the San Francisco conference is that almonds may contribute towards controlling glucose levels in people with type-2 diabetes. A separate study done at the University of Toronto suggests that, because almonds slow down the absorption of carbohydrates in the body, they may assist in the management of diabetes.

Almonds and Cholesterol

Whether you have normal or high cholesterol, eating almonds may be as effective as drugs in lowering LDL, the bad cholesterol. It may also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The University of Toronto study found that almonds were effective when the participants consumed the nuts in combination with other foods that are good for the heart, such as oatmeal, beans, olive oil, and soy products. However, they also found that almonds in themselves contain several components emphasized in this eating plan.

Almonds: Cholesterol lowering, heart-healthy snack

This new study finds almonds significantly lower ‘bad’ cholesterol

MODESTO, Calif.–Americans looking to maintain a heart healthy diet should incorporate almonds into their diet. A new study, published in the American Heart Association’s publication Circulation, reconfirms a growing body of research that almonds may lower “bad” cholesterol levels and help reduce risk of heart disease.

A clinical trial conducted at the University of Toronto, found that women and men who ate about one ounce (or a handful) of almonds each day lowered their LDL cholesterol by 4.4 percent from baseline. The study showed an even greater decrease of 9.4 percent in LDL cholesterol in those who ate about two handfuls of almonds a day, indicating that almonds’ effect increases with increased consumption. The study also found that all of the people in the study, both those who ate only ounce servings and those who ate more, maintained their weight.

“We found that almonds reduce coronary heart disease risk factors in a dose-dependent manner and may be used as healthy snacks without weight gain,” said Dr. David Jenkins, who conducted the analysis. According to Dr. Jenkins, almonds are a good source of vegetable protein, “and the combination of monounsaturates with some polyunsaturates in nuts is an ideal combination of fats, all of which may have a beneficial effect on blood cholesterol”.

Summary of published study

Published: Circulation, September 10, 2002

Research Organization: University of Toronto

Study Title: Dose Response of Almonds on Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors: Blood Lipids, Oxidized Low-Density Lipoproteins, Lipoprotein(a), Homocysteine, and Pulmonary Nitric Oxide

Authors: David J.A. Jenkins, MD; Cyril W.C. Kendall, PhD; Augustine Marchie, BSc; Tina L. Parker, RD; Philip W. Connelly, PhD; Wei Qian, PhD; James S. Haight, MD; Dorothea Faulkner, RD; Edward Vidgen, BSc; Karen G. Lapsley, DSc; Gene A. Spiller, PhD

Objective: To examine the dose-response effect of almonds compared to low-fat muffins in the therapeutic diets of hyperlipidemic subjects.

Subjects: 27 hyperlipidemic men and women.

Study Description: Randomized, controlled crossover study. Subjects consumed three iso-energetic (mean 423 kcal/ d) supplements in one-month phases. The supplements provided 22.2% of energy and consisted of full-dose almonds (50-100g/ d), half-dose almonds with half-dose muffins. Fasting blood, blood pressure and body weight were obtained at weeks 0, 2 and 4.

RESULTS: Almonds used as snacks in the diets of hyperlipidemic subjects significantly reduce coronary heart disease risk factors, probably in part because of the nonfat (protein and fiber) and monounsaturated fatty acid components of the nut.

Almonds and Allergies Research is being conducted to identify and minimize the allergenicity of almond proteins.

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