Unlocking the Benefits of Almonds

Blogs01 Oct 2024

Almonds are often referred to as a super nutritious food, and for all the right reasons. These tiny nuts are filled with healthy fats, Vitamin E, essential minerals such as magnesium and manganese, antioxidants, and other nutrients. With regular consumption, one can avail all the wonderful almonds benefits, such as regulated blood sugar, improved cholesterol levels, well-managed hunger, and more.

Let’s take a look at this healthy nut in detail below.

Nutritional Profile of Almonds:

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research, 100 gms of almond contain:

• 18.4g of Protein
• 58.4g of Fats
• 3g of Carbs
• 0.26mg of Vitamin B2
• 25.8mg of Vitamin E
• 318 mg of Magnesium
• 446 mg of Phosphorus
• 699 mg of Potassium

Health benefits of Almonds:

While we have always consumed almonds in some from or the other, we might not know about the health benefits it offers. Let us have a thorough look at the almond nuts benefits, and how they can contribute to good health in multiple aspects.

1. Cognitive Function

Oxidative stress in the body can impact cognitive function. Almonds contain antioxidants that may help reduce oxidative stress in the body, and limit the free-radical damage. Long-term consumption of almonds might be helpful in the prevention of cognitive decline.

2. Assists in Regulating Blood Sugar

One of the advantages of almonds is it’s ability to regulate blood sugar. Protein and fats are known to slow down the absorption of blood sugar into the body. Almonds, thanks to the presence of healthy fats and protein in them, may aid in improved blood sugar, when taken as part of an overall healthy diet.

3. Helps Manage Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol present in the human body; high-density lipoprotein or HDL also commonly referred to as the ‘good cholesterol’, and low-density lipoprotein or LDL, commonly called the ‘bad cholesterol.’ Almonds are a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and may play an instrumental role in bringing down the total blood cholesterol concentration and increasing HDL levels in the body.

4. Cardiovascular Health

A higher level of blood pressure is linked with increased risks of cardiac conditions. For a sound cardiovascular health, regulated blood pressure is crucial. Almonds, being rich in magnesium, may be beneficial for regulating blood pressure. Studies have shown magnesium to have a blood-pressure lowering effect, especially in individuals dealing with conditions such as prediabetes and insulin resistance.

5. Helps Manage Weight

Almonds offer high amount of fats, protein, fibre, magnesium, calcium, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and are relatively low in calories. Its nutrient-dense nature makes it an ideal, healthy snack which provides satiety. Almonds, when included in moderation and as part of a balanced and healthy diet, may be helpful in managing body weight, and improve mean BMI.

6. Bone Health

Protein, calcium, and potassium, are some of the most important building blocks for our bones. Enriched with all of them, and more including fatty acids and antioxidants, almonds may help improve bone health and help in the prevention of osteoporosis.

7. Skin Health

One big benefit of eating almonds is that they are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and good fats, all of which contribute to healthy skin. Regular consumption of almonds might be helpful in minimizing skin wrinkles, and controlling pigmentation, especially among women of mature age.

Incorporating Almonds into Your Daily Routine

Almonds can be included in your regular diet in multiple ways. Adding a handful of almonds to your meals is a great way to add some crunch to your usual salad or rice bowl, and will let you make the most out of the nutritional value of almonds. Let us have a quick look at some easy ways to include almonds in your meals.

Breakfast:

• Oatmeal: Cook ½ cup of oats, one banana (sliced), and a little cinnamon powder in milk of your choice, till the oats are tender. Add some chopped almonds, and some more cinnamon powder if you want. Your bowl of quick, hot and delicious breakfast is ready!
• Yogurt Parfaits: Take one cup of greek yogurt. Layer it with frozen blueberry, raspberry, or any fruit of your choice. Top it with 10/12 sliced almonds (soaked and peeled). Drizzle some honey, and enjoy! Tastes best when served chilled.
• Smoothie: The easiest of all breakfast recipes is here. Take one cup of milk of your choice, add one banana, or berries of your choice, one tablespoon of raw almonds. Blend until smooth, and enjoy!

Lunch:

• Salads: Take a bowl full of salad greens. Add some sliced onions, chopped apples, chopped almonds, and some feta cheese. Add salad dressing of your choice, mix everything well, and your lunch is ready!
• Sandwiches: Take two slices of bread. Apply one tablespoon of almond butter on one bread. Layer it with some thinly sliced carrots, and cucumbers. Top it with a slice of cheese. Put the other slice of bread, and grill the cheese. There goes your almond butter cheese grilled sandwich.
• Wraps: Pick a wrap of your choice, such as a tortilla. Make a filling with cucumber, carrot, lettuce, onions, bell peppers, and anything else you would like to add. Throw in a handful of chopped almonds. Put your choice of spread on the tortilla, add the filling, drizzle a little dressing, wrap it gently, and dig in.

Dinner:

• Stir-fries: In a pan, heat some cooking oil, or butter. Add one tablespoon of almonds, and keep tossing until light brown. Set it aside. Add thinly chopped garlic and ginger, and chopped vegetables such as broccoli, onions, bell peppers, carrots, and mushrooms. Stir until vegetables become cooked and crisp. Add salt, soy sauce, and little water. Give everything a mix, and cook for a few more minutes. This can be eaten with a side of rice or as it is!
• Roasted vegetables: Cut cauliflower/ broccoli, potatoes, onions, etc into small pieces, and add them to a bowl. Add cumin seeds, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, melted butter. Give it a good mix. Preheat your oven to 200C, and roast for 10 minutes. Add slivered almonds, and roast for 20-25 minutes more. Serve with mint leaves, and yogurt.
• Grain bowl: In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start crackling, add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Follow up with cropped onions, green chilly, turmeric powder. Stir for a few minutes, and add chopped tomatoes. Once the mixture turns soft, add a mixture of coconut milk and water (just water also works), salt, and garam masala. Add rinsed quinoa, give everything a mix, and cook until the quinoa is cooked and the water is absorbed. Add lemon juice, chopped almonds, and coriander leaves on top.

Snacks:

• Trail mix: Mix roasted almonds, salted cashews, dried goji berries, pumpkin seeds, and raisins for a tasty and healthy snack when the hunger strikes.
• Almond butter on whole-grain crackers: Just put a spoon of almond butter on a cracker of your choice, and you are good to go.
• A handful of almonds: Simply munching on a handful of almonds is also a great snack idea.

Conclusion

To conclude, almonds are a powerhouse of nutrition and can significantly contribute to good overall health. They are a good source of healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and can be included in our daily diets in various ways. Some of the benefits of almonds are better managed blood sugar, regulated cholesterol levels, good cardiac health, and improved skin health.

For more perspectives and information on health, nutrition, and ageing, explore Right Shift. At Right Shift, we encourage you to practice healthy eating habits and indulge in physical movements, which will help you to manage your health better. Should you need a little bit of hand holding with your meal plans, consider trying our free meal plan creator which takes into consideration your age, body weight, eating preferences and health goals before creating a meal plan for you. We also offer a free health score calculator which helps you assess how healthy your lifestyle is and shows you areas that need improvement. You can also check out our range of healthy Millet Oats Kheer Mix, Jaggery Oats Cookies and Jaggery Ragi Cookies that have many nutrients including the goodness of almonds.