pexels.com
You probably know that eating almonds (and nuts in general) is a great way to get healthy fat into your diet. Nuts are also generally high in protein, so they assist in muscle building and provide the kind of slow-burning energy that can keep you going all day. Turns out, the humble almond can do a lot more than that. So what happens if you eat almonds every day? Read on to find out about the incredible health benefits of consuming a handful of these nuts on the regular.Why 20 almonds?
For the purposes of our analysis, we chose 20 almonds as a daily recommendation because it adds up to about an ounce. In one ounce of almonds you will get 163 calories ( the accepted amount, though there is some evidence that it may be closer to 129 calories), 5 grams of protein, 12 grams of mostly unsaturated fat, 3 grams of fiber, and less than one gram of sugar. One ounce of almonds can be a satisfying and nutritious snack or a smart addition to breakfast oatmeal, lunch salad, or dinner casserole.
pexels.com
Improve Digestive Health
One of the newer pieces of understanding about the health benefit of almonds relates to digestive health. Eating 20 almonds every day has been shown to produce significant changes in the gut microbiota. Healthy intestinal bacteria, like lactic acid and bifidobacteria, serve to maintain a strong intestinal barrier that keeps the bad bacteria out. Bad bacteria that crosses the intestinal barrier tends to cause chronic inflammation that is linked to all sorts of ailments, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, mental health problems, asthma and chronic sinus infections, skin problems, Parkinson’s disease, and even cancer. It’s shocking to realize how many bodily ills originate in the gut.
pexels.com
Feel Full Longer
The nutritional package delivered by one ounce of almonds is perfect to fulfill a snack craving and prevent overeating later. The protein, fiber, and fat work together to keep you feeling full and satisfied, while the diverse profile of vitamins and minerals gives your body what it needs to perform optimally. The biggest hurdle in maintaining a healthy caloric intake each day is eating foods that actually keep you feeling satisfied, or else a binge is sure to occur at some point. One great tip for improving your satiety from eating almonds is to chew them longer. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that thorough chewing broke down the cell walls of almonds in such a way that the nutrients were better absorbed.
Leave a Reply