Nutrition of Almonds

Almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts. As more and more consumers become dedicated to healthy life-styles, experts have found that adding natural foods, such as almonds, to your diet may be the prescription for physical wellness in the 21st century.

Almonds had been considered too fatty to be a healthy snack, but research has shown that the nuts actually lower blood cholesterol levels. 90 percent of the fats in almonds are unsaturated, and the nuts are high in protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and other antioxidants. Almonds help prevent osteoporosis and they regulate blood pressure.

Here are some of the health benefits:
Get your daily dose of antioxidants: Do you know which type of vitamin E the human body absorbs best? It's called alpha-tocopherol vitamin E and almonds are one of the leading food sources of this important antioxidant. It can help neutralize harmful free radicals in your body which are unstable molecules that form as your body burns oxygen. Free radicals can damage your cells, tissues, and even your DNA. Researchers believe this process may contribute to the development of some chronic diseases such as cancer and heart diseases.

Manage your weight: To keep your body and especially your heart in the best possible shape, it's important to maintain your weight. Obesity is one of the most common reasons for Heart related disorders. Almonds don't just fight hunger pangs; they also provide fiber, "good" monounsaturated fats, and 6 grams of protein to help give you that "full" feeling. Almonds offer key benefits to anyone trying to watch those kilos, namely satiety; more quality calories with more nutrients; crunch; and undeniable tasty flavor.

Almonds protect against cardiovascular disease and diabetes: Almond's ability to reduce heart disease risk may also be due to the huge amounts of the antioxidant vitamin E found in these nuts, and the LDL lowering effect of the monounsaturated fats they contain. When almonds are substituted for more traditional fats in human feeding trials, LDL cholesterol is reduced from 8 to 12 percent.

Cancer Prevention: Almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients - calcium and magnesium - for strong bones, vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

Consume in multiple ways: Sliced, diced, roasted, blanched or flavored! Almonds can be consumed in various forms. They are scrumptious, stacked with nutrients and form an integral part of many homemade recipes in Pakistan. Snack on almonds while having your evening tea or just stir up a healthy almond shake.

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- Health Benefits of Soaking Almonds in Water
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Health Benefits of Soaking Almonds in Water

Almonds are among the earliest cultivated foods in history. Almonds are thought to have originated in China and Central Asia. Explorers brought almonds back with them, and before long almond trees flourished. Almonds, like most nuts, were thought to have too much fat to be a healthy snack.

Almonds had been considered too fatty to be a healthy snack, but research has shown that the nuts actually lower blood cholesterol levels. 90 percent of the fats in almonds are unsaturated, and the nuts are high in protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and other antioxidants. Almonds help prevent osteoporosis and they regulate blood pressure. Your gain all the benefits of almonds if you eat it in the right way.

Almonds are difficult to digest because of an enzyme-inhibiting substance in their brown coating. These enzyme inhibitors protect the nut or seed until it has what it needs for growth. Soaking almonds overnight removes these toxic enzyme inhibitors so that the enzymes secreted during digestion can do their job. Also the gluten breaks down, and digestion becomes much easier. Phytic acid, which inhibits absorption of vital minerals, is also reduced after soaking almonds. This helps our body get the benefit of vitality contained within them.

Health Benefits
Memory Improvement: Almonds are known as one of the best brain tonics. It is rich in essential fats and serves to improve memory and intelligence. Eating 4-6 soaked almonds every morning helps enhance your memory. This makes them an essential part of kids' daily diet.

Better Digestion: Soaking almonds in water makes them softer and easier to chew. This means better digestibility, easy absorption and assimilation of nutrition in the nut. You must chew them thoroughly, because big chunks of unchewed nuts are hard on the digestive tract. Moreover, soaking almonds in milk and eating them increases the libido and enhances general sexual performance in cases of frigidity.

Beauty Benefits: As far ask the skin is concerned, almond can be used to great effect in several ways. Almond oil makes the skin smooth and soft, which is why it is often favored for massages. You can prepare a mixture of almond oil, honey, and lemon juice, and apply this as a face pack once a week. Almond oil can also be used for the hair.

Pregnancy: Intake of soaked almonds during the pregnancy period is also known to be quite beneficial. Almonds are highly nutritive and hence a good source of energy for pregnant women. Soaking almonds in water or milk overnight and eating them next morning after making a paste is good for their health. Adding a pinch of saffron to this paste will further add heighten the value of this tasty preparation. Pregnant women must consume this preparation along with a healthy diet everyday as this provides good nourishment for both, mother and baby.

Related Article
How to Soak Almonds in Water

How to Soak Almonds in Water

While soaking almonds in water, you might wonder how long to keep them soaked? Here is the procedure.

- Take the required quantity of almonds in a bowl.
- Rinse them in purified or filtered water.
- Now soak them in water. The quantity of water should be double the quantity of almonds.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth or towel and not with a dish or lid.
- Almonds must be soaked at room temperature.
- Drain the water and rinse the nuts thoroughly after 8-10 hours

Soaking almonds in water is surely an easy step that can fit into your busy schedule. Remember, if you eat soaked almonds in the morning, they will set hydrochloric acid tolerance for the day and provide all-day protein digestion. Almonds are efficiently digested when consumed in this way since stomach acids are concentrated after the night fast. When soaked, almonds act as protein plus nitrogen. Well, with so many benefits of soaking almonds in water overnight, I am sure that you won't think twice to start consuming them in this way!