How Essential Are Almonds in Diets?
Almonds are understood to be one of the world’s most cherished tree nuts that are very nutritious and filled with fats, vitamins (antioxidants), and minerals. Most people are very aware of the fact that these fruits are good for health, but what are these fascinating health benefits?
Whether you relish an ice cream with some almond toppings or having some glass of almond milk, this nut offers paramount satisfaction to your taste bud and boosts healthy diet quality. Here comes the question; how can a fruit this small have such a massive impact on our health? This is all because almond seeds are endowed with proteins, antioxidants, hearty fats, and minerals that are essential for your body.
These are a few of what almonds are capable of doing on health;
- Prevent birth defects
- Better hair, nails, and skin
- Good for your heart
- For healthy bone
- Almonds prevent cancer
- For mental alertness
- Healthy eye
- Almonds reduce cholesterol
- Almonds are rich in essential nutrients.
- Lower inflammation
- May stimulate hair growth.
- Almonds reduce weight
- Appetite suppression
Prevent Birth Defect
Almonds are rich in folic acid that helps protect the mother from any kind of birth defects. Folic acid plays a rather important role in the development/growth of healthy cells and sustains a growing fetus’s life cycle. Pregnant mothers who consume almonds may protect their baby from any form of birth defects.
Better Hair, Nails, and Skin
Vitamin E, an antioxidant in almond skins, helps to protect our skin from the sun’s deadly UV damage and protects us from skin cancer.
Since UV damage makes your skin appear wrinkled, vitamin E has been proved in dermatological products for over fifty years (along with vitamin C) to reduce those signs of skin aging.
You can also use almond oil to moist dry skin if you have eczema or obsessively wash your hands.
Plus, an almond serving contains 49% of our daily dose of biotin (vitamin B7), which is the star behind many nail and hair growth supplements.
While many women say using more biotin helps their nails and hair grow longer, healthier, and faster, there are a few scientific studies to ascertain this dietary connection.
Good for Your Heart
When almonds are consumed together with some other nuts, it is believed that your heart appreciates the treat by staying healthier. Well, according to a research study in 2014, researchers discovered that individuals who consumed almonds have more antioxidants deposited in their bloodstream. The high level of antioxidants in the blood is believed to help reduce blood pressure and improve blood flow in so many parts of the body. The study also concluded by inferring that Mediterranean diets that had a good quantity of nuts in their diets had more health advantages.
For Healthy Bone
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), daily dietary consumption of 1200mg of calcium is mandatory for all men and women above 51 years of age to avoid osteoporosis and other bone diseases.
Many researchers have proved low calcium intake to be linked with bone loss, low bone mass, and high fracture rates.
Dairy products are high in calcium. However, foods like almonds, tofu, spinach, kale, fortified orange juice, broccoli, and canned fish like salmon and sardines also contain adequate amounts of calcium.
Experimentation with human bone cell lines (osteoclasts) has shown that almond meal can hinder osteoclast formation. It also impedes the functioning and gene expression of osteoclasts. Almonds, like other calcium-based foods, have a tremendous effect on our bone health.
Prevent Cancer
Almonds have some amounts of fiber present in it that aids detoxification in the body. Consuming almonds aids motility through the digestive system. The high fiber content in almonds confers them with the ability to reduce your risk of coming down with colon cancer. It also has a bulk load of flavonoids and vitamin E that prevents breast cancer.
Mental Alertness
Almonds, when mixed together with milk, become very rich in potassium. Potassium is one of the really vital minerals that help to boost the levels of electrolytes in your body, thus providing more energy for the body. When there is an increase in electrolytes, your memory coordination also increases, and this can happen by making almond milk. Simply put, almond milk makes our memory sharper.
Healthy Eye
If you need perfect vision, you should consume foods that are high in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory functions. These include vitamin E, vitamin C, carotenoids, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. These micronutrients work perfectly on oxidative stress and ocular inflammation.
The macula of our retina is said to have a high amount of free radicals, which may damage the DNA and proteins in those cells. Antioxidants in almonds help to protect the macula from degeneration. Carotenoids like zeaxanthin and lutein improve pigmentation of this region.
Eating foods that are high in these micronutrients can prevent visual loss, macular degeneration, and other eye disorders.
Almonds contain fair amounts of tocopherols (vitamin E) (7 mg per 0.25cup) and zinc (0.9 mg/oz). While zinc plays an irreplaceable role in nerve impulse transmission and cell signaling, vitamin E improves vasodilation and prevents platelet aggregation.
Eating some amounts of almonds may not prevent eye issues, but they may reduce their severity.
Reduce Inflammation
The healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants in almonds do wonder about inflammation in your body. Chronic inflammation occurs when our immune system thinks it’s under a constant state of attack and sends antibodies to bind the strange antigens. Higher inflammation may signify your high risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, leaky gut syndrome, arthritis, and even mental sickness.
Since the significant fat in almonds comes from the oleic acid, which is the same as you’ll find in inflammation-reducing olive oil, almonds are thus considered a tremendous anti-inflammatory fruit. They decrease oxidative stress in our bodies and protect us from further harm.3uv
Almonds Reduce Cholesterol
According to some recent research studies by the American Dietetic Association, regular intake of almonds was proven to raise Vitamin E levels in the red blood cells and reduces the risks of having bad cholesterol. By increasing the levels of vitamin E (tocopherol) in your bloodstream, antioxidants that inhibit bad cholesterol formation are formed. Therefore, consuming up to 10 pieces of almonds daily can aid the formation of more vitamin E into the bloodstream, and in turn, protect one from the risks of developing bad cholesterol.
Almonds are Rich in Essential Nutrients
The edible seeds from almond trees are almonds; the US is the largest exporter of almonds in the world. Almonds are high in nutrients; 28 grams of almonds contain:
Note: Almonds also a beautiful source of copper, phosphorus, and riboflavin (vitamin B12). It provides about 161 calories and up to 2.5 grams of digestible carbohydrates.
May Stimulate Hair Growth
Hair loss is an aging problem among contemporary men and women. We could blame the modern diet, pollution, lifestyle, malnutrition, hormonal imbalance, and even over-nutrition for it.
Almond oil massage is among the most effective remedies for hair growth. It takes time before it is absorbed into your scalp, and also, the vitamin E (tocopherol) in it may condition your hair. Some studies have proved that vitamin E supplementation may boost hair numbers in people experiencing alopecia (hair loss).
Most importantly, the deficiency of some micronutrients can manifest as hair loss. Biotin (B7 vitamin) deficiency is scarce but often results in hair thinning. It may cause rashes, brittle nails, hair fall, and other exoskeleton issues.
Roasted almonds have also been proved to be an excellent source of vitamin B7 (biotin) (one cup has about 6mcg of biotin).
Hence, supplementing almonds into our ration and massaging its oil on our scalp and hair may facilitate healthy hair growth.
Almond Reduces Weight
Almonds are very high in their protein and fiber contents low in carbohydrates that control your appetite and do not keep you yearning for long. When almonds have the propensity to control your appetite, this means you can effectively control what you take in and, in turn, regulate your weight.
Appetite Suppression
With fiber and protein, snacking on almonds can suppress appetence and help you feel fuller for longer.
If you’re feeling satisfied, you won’t feel as voracious and unintentionally consume more than your daily requirement. You may tend to eat very few calories at your next meal.
After all, just about 1.5 oz of almonds per day for a month helped about 137 participants in a research study:
- Their blood sugar was lowered after snack and mealtime.
- They ate fewer calories.
- Became less appetence during the day.
Consuming fewer calories will help your body develop a calorie deficit to then trigger weight loss.
