Almonds – A Super-Powered Healthy Snack

I pound down almonds like no-one’s business.

One could almost say I eat the crap out of these tasty little nutrition bombs.

If you are looking for a yummy and nutritious snack that requires zero preparation then you might want to pay attention to the words I am about to drop on the subject.

Almonds. Eat them.

The fact that almonds taste good aside, they are the reigning king of nut nutrition; not to mention, for those of you that want to be a little bold in your kitchen adventures, they can also be used as a great addition to a lot of recipes!

In fact, according to FDA, eating 23 almonds a day provides a laundry list of health benefits (along with 13 grams of unsaturated fats, 1 gram saturated fat, with no cholesterol or sodium); just don’t ask me how they came up with that number… I just nod my head and agree with them because those guys are scientists and I just run a website.

So here’s just some of the reasons almonds are so great:

Promotes a Healthy Heart – Almonds are full of magnesium and potassium. This dynamic duo of micro-nutrients helps to reduce hypertension and prevent heart attacks; magnesium helps keep your arteries and veins clean, and the potassium helps keep your blood pressure in check.

So that’s pretty awesome.

Lowers Cholesterol – I could take the time and explain how almonds are one of the best source of alpha-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E the human body absorbs better than others, and that it helps to dilate your blood vessels and prevents platelet aggregation which in turn prevents lipid oxidation; thereby improving the LDL levels of the blood and further reducing the risk of the plaque formation, lipid oxidation and strokes.

But let’s be honest, that’d be boring. So let’s just say it’s BECAUSE SCIENCE!

Great Balance of Macronutrients – 23 almonds contain approximately 6 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrates and 14 grams of fat. A great balance for a snack!

Tasty – Seriously, there’s not much else to say about this. They just taste good.

Helps Curb Your Appetite – Eating a handful of almonds has been shown to fill you up and decrease your appetite, which is obviously a good thing if you are trying to manage your eating habits.

The 3.5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein help fill you up, and the aforementioned shot of magnesium does a great job regulating blood sugar, which is the key to reducing food cravings. Studies have shown that people who eat almonds on a regular basis have reduced their urges for fatty, sugary foods.

They are pretty much one of the best foods out there for a healthy weight loss program!

So there you have it!

Make sure you are including these when you draft up your weekly shopping list each week, if you aren’t already.

Oh. And on a final note, remember that everything we just talked about refers to raw almonds. Not roasted, toasted, salted or candied.

Raw.

So what’s your favorite way to eat almonds? Straight from the shell? In a bag from the grocery store? Ground up into your smoothies?

Let me know in the comments below!

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