The Nutritional Value of Almonds

The nutritional value of almonds is very beneficial for our health, especially if you have diabetes. Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E as well as rich in monounsaturated fats, which is one of the good fats that are responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol.

Studies have shown that a daily diet of 73g of almonds actually reduced LDL cholesterol by an unbelievable amount of 9.4%, and the LDL: HDL ratio by 12.0%, as well as increasing the HDL cholesterol by 4.6% (this is the good cholesterol).

The nutritional value of almonds contains about 26% of carbohydrates, which is made up of 12% dietary fibre, 6.3% of sugars, 0.7% of starch and the remainder is miscellaneous carbohydrates. This information means that using almonds as an ingredient in cooking has a great nutritional value. Especially for those people that require a low carbohydrate diet or have diabetes.

The other health benefits of almonds that has shown up in studies include:

Improvement in complexionThe prevention of cancerImproved movement of food through the colon, andBy adding almonds to your diet you can elevate the blood levels of high density lipoproteins and lower the levels of low density lipoproteins

In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E, almonds contain almost 99mg of magnesium as well as 257mg of potassium. Magnesium is known as nature's own calcium channel blocker. This means that when you have enough magnesium in your system your veins and arteries are much happier as magnesium reduces resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients through your body.

The nutritional value of almonds apparently decreases the rise in blood sugar after meals. Research has found that there are twenty potent antioxidant flavonoids that have been identified in almond skins. Some of these are known as major contributors to health benefits that are found in other foods like catechins found in green tea, and naringenin, which is found in grapefruits.

Almonds are known to be a very good source of manganese as well as copper. Eating about two tablespoons of almonds each day can help in the prevention of gallstones. Studies have shown that people that include almonds in their diet have a 25% lower risk of developing gallstones.

Another nutritional value of almonds is that they are concentrated in protein; therefore, a quarter of a cup of almonds contains 7.62g more protein than you will find in an egg, which contains 5.54g.

Even though a quarter of a cup of almonds contains around 18g of fat, the majority (11g) of the fat is monounsaturated fat that is healthy for your heart. The nutritional value of almonds is truly amazing and knowing how the benefits will allow you to achieve optimum health is tremendous.

Almonds, More Than Just a Nutritious Snack for the Diabetic Menu

Research studies into almonds continue to confirm the benefits provided by this popular nut, usually eaten as a snack food but also used as an ingredient in the kitchen in recipes as widely varied as Almond Crusted Chicken, Almond Coconut Flan, or Almond Fudge Brownies

Nuts and the diabetic
But for those of us who are diabetic, what is of most interest is the possibility that almonds, and perhaps other nuts, may help us in our struggle to reduce or better control our blood sugar levels. For instance, how can we not sit up and take notice when we read a summary of a recent scientific controlled study of two groups of diabetics (half of them on diet that included almonds and the other half without almonds) that states:

"Our results suggested that incorporation of almonds into a healthy diet has beneficial effects on adiposity, glycemic control, and the lipid profile, thereby potentially decreasing the risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus."

That statement says it all, with its implications for weight, blood sugars, cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. How much better can a readily available abundant and inexpensive "natural" food get?

In case you are not sure, "adiposity" is just a fancy way of referring to the condition of being fat, also known as obesity, and obesity is a major factor contributing to the onset of diabetes.

In my old files where I keep references to anything connected with diabetic menu items, I found a news release from 2008 in which the Mayo Clinic listed almonds and walnuts among the top 5 best foods for significantly lowering cholesterol levels. So it seems worthwhile to have a stock of both types of nuts handy -- with perhaps a few other types of nut to add some variety.

Nuts are a source of calcium, good for bones and teeth, magnesium - and that helps regulate blood pressure, antioxidants such as vitamin E, and monounsaturated fats that are thought to lower the LDL, also known as the "bad" cholesterol. They also contain potassium, phosphorus, manganese, and several other minerals.

Be aware of the fat calories
But nuts, because of their fat content, are relatively high in calories for their weight. Monounsaturated fat is the best of the fat categories but, like all fats, supplies more calories per gram than proteins or carbohydrates, the other major nutrients. So if nuts are newly included in the diabetic diet menu it may be necessary to eliminate another food item in order to maintain the same daily calorie intake. It is very important not to gain weight while adding the benefits that nuts provide.

How many almonds are appropriate?
In the studies that provided the positive results, the daily intakes were about 3 ounces of almonds per day - where an ounce of almonds is about 20 to 25 nuts and about 170 calories. From my own experience, I find that is too many to eat in comfort day after day, especially if walnuts are included too, so I will probably go with about half that amount per day and maybe not every day either if I make this a long-time practice - but that's just my way, the point is that the studies cited 3 ounces per day in one case and 2-1/2 ounces in another.

One last thing
It is not discussed in the scientific studies but I have learned from elsewhere that to get the most benefit from them, the almonds should be soaked in water for about 12 hours and then dried out with low heat. This is to soften the brown skins, composed of an anti-enzyme substance called phylate, soaking them helps the release of their nutrients and make them easier to digest.

By the way, the trials lasted for several months, 24 weeks in one case. The group whose diet included almonds was able to reduce their diabetes medications by the end of the trial period.

In conclusion
So fellow diabetics, perhaps it's worth adding almonds to our diabetic menus - but remember to cut down on calories elsewhere to make up for it. Each ounce of almonds contains about 170 calories remember.