A Nut that Doesn’t Disappoint

Snacking, whether you’re trying to cut back on it or come up with healthier alternatives, is one of the greatest challenges people face when attempting to get healthier and lose weight.  Well, today is a nationally recognized food day to celebrate one of my favorite snack foods: almonds!  Almonds are known to be one of the healthiest, most appetite curbing snack foods on the market and they’re easily accessible no matter where you do your food shopping.

Almonds are a tree nut native to the Middle East and South Asia that are actually the seeds of a fruit that looks similar to a peach or apricot.  Almonds can be enjoyed plain, roasted or paired with a variety of other foods and nowadays, you can even purchase almonds in different forms such as almond flour, butter, oil or milk.

So what makes this tiny tree nut a healthy option for an on the go snack?

Almonds are rich in dietary fiber and heart healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help lower your cholesterol.  In addition, almonds are high in protein, which is an important component of a healthy diet to promote lean muscle mass and weight loss.  In fact, a one ounce serving of almonds provides one-eighth of your necessary daily protein.  Weight management is one of the researched benefits of almonds.  It is the combination of fiber, fat and protein is what gives almonds their weight managing ability, which is why they are the perfect go to snack.

Almonds are also an excellent source of vitamin E, which is a fat soluble antioxidant used in the body to maintain cell membrane integrity of mucus membranes and your skin by preventing oxidative damage.  Furthermore, almonds are filled with minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium and iron – talk about a nutritious snack!

The sweet, nutty flavor of almonds makes them delicious enough to eat on their own.  It’s best to purchase raw, unsalted almonds to cut back on sodium intake.  However, some people might find almonds to be too plain in flavor, and would choose to pair them with dried fruit, a variety of other nuts or seeds, as an ingredient in baked goods or as a topping on yogurt or oatmeal.  If you have a sweet tooth, almonds taste great alongside chocolate, but keep your portions in check.

Almonds are one nut you’d want to include as a healthy snack. Go ahead and celebrate National Almond Day and purchase a single serve size bag of almonds to keep you energized as your between meal snack.  I promise, they won’t disappoint!

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