Giving Almond Joy a Whole New Meaning

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his or her patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.

-Thomas Edison

I'm reading a great book called The China Study right now.  The book was written by a PhD who has devoted his life and research to exploring the effects of diet on overall health and longevity.  He breaks the book down into various conditions, such as heart health and diabetes, and what his research has shown with regards to the ability of diet to either improve or worsen such conditions.  The Mediterranean diet, a diet that mimics the traditional eating patterns of Greece, Spain, and Southern Italy and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats, has become popular in recent years due to possible links to improved heart health.

Given the rising popularity of the Mediterranean diet, almonds have become a common snack.  However oftentimes people aren't sure how often or how much they should be consuming almonds given the high calorie and fat content, which has led people to question whether or not almonds are a healthy snack.  

Typical Nutrient Breakdown for 1 Serving of Almonds

One serving of almonds is about 20-24 almonds and usually contains 150-170 calories.  Over 50% of the energy in an almond is fat, but the majority of this is monounsaturated fat otherwise known as "healthy fats."  Diets that are higher in monounsaturated fats as opposed to saturated fats have been linked to improved heart health due to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.  Almonds also contain phytosterols, a plant compound that helps prevent absorption of dietary cholesterol.  Studies have also shown decreased inflammation and oxidative stress when diets include almonds.  

Almonds are also a great plant source of protein providing 6 g of protein per serving.  This not only helps with the cholesterol lowering effects of almonds, but also makes them a great protein source for vegetarians!  Almonds also provide one of the highest sources of dietary fiber among nuts.  Fiber provides many health benefits including lowered cholesterol, improved GI health, and increased satiety (aka feeling less hungry).  

Since almonds pack such a high amount of energy in such a small serving size and given the American tendency to overdo our portion sizes many worry that increased almond consumption will lead to weight gain and even obesity.  However, studies have shown diets that emphasized consumption of nuts are not associated with increases in body weight, body mass index, or waist circumference.  Even if consumed in high amounts almonds are a way healthier snack than potato chips.  However, it is still important to keep proper portion sizes in mind when snacking on almonds in order to prevent unwanted weight gain.

Keep in mind the above images when considering your portion size for almonds- each one is approximately 160 calories.  Try packing a container (like the small baby food jar) with your serving size of almonds for the day instead of eating straight from the bag.  Want to incorporate almonds into your diet, but don't think they will fill you as a snack?  Here are some ideas for adding them to your meals without packing on the pounds?

• Use almonds as topping on your morning oatmeal
• Use almonds as topping on yogurt and berries for a delicious breakfast or healthy dessert
• Make a healthy trailmix for the week and portion ahead of time
• Add almonds to your salad
• Try this recipe for muesli from Nutrition Stripped as a healthy cereal or topping

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