A new study on almonds nutrition provides overwhelming evidence of why you should include these wonder nuts (???) in your daily diet.
Even better, this study was actually conducted on humans -- not mice. Imagine that! Researchers organized 20 women into 2 groups: the almond group and the control group.
The almond group consumed 344 calories worth of almonds (about 2 oz.) each day, while keeping the rest of their diet exactly the same. The control group simply stuck to their normal eating habits without including any almonds at all.
They continued this way for 10 weeks, then took a 3 week "washout" period, and switched sides for another 10 weeks.
During this 23 week study, doctors kept track of the participants' body weight, metabolic rates, physical activity, and Vitamin E blood levels. The results were quite surprising: A daily serving of almonds can help you feel full without leading to weight gain.
Not only that, the almond group also benefited from an increase in several important vitamins and nutrients found in almonds: Vitamin E, protein, magnesium, fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, and monounsaturated fat.
"Solid data has shown that eating one to three daily portions of almonds (28 to 84 grammes) can help lower LDL cholesterol levels," said study co-author Rick Mattes, Ph.D., R.D. from Purdue University in West Lafayette, USA. "But many health care providers have been hesitant to recommend almonds as a daily snack because they're a relatively high-calorie food and could contribute to weight gain. This study challenges that assumption."
Similar studies have shown that subjects can consume up to 570 calories worth of almonds per day without leading to weight gain. Another benefit of almonds nutrition is they may help reduce spikes in blood sugar when combined with high-carbohydrate meals.
Moral of the story: Put away those Lay's, and reach for a healthy handful of almonds!
In case you're wondering, other nuts have provided similar results, but almonds have been used in the majority of studies. Therefore, unless you absolutely can't stand the taste, you should at least include them in a mix or variety of other nut combinations.
Try introducing almonds and/or other nuts into your diet for just two weeks. Every time you feel the urge to reach for chips or a bag of popcorn, grab a handful of almonds. Not only will the suppress your appetite, but over time, you will begin develop an urge for them -- just like your current urges for less nutritious snacks.
So, remember: Lose the guts, grab your nuts!
