Go Nuts... for Almonds!

Remember this important fact: Accelerated aging is directly related to high blood glucose levels. Just as many foods cause our blood sugar and insulin levels to spike, certain foods actually help to stabilize blood sugar. One of those foods is the almond. So small yet has such power to heal the body! 

A team at the University of Toronto reported that eating almonds can decrease our glycemic (blood-sugar) and insulin responses to high-carbohydrate meals (Jenkins DJ, et al., 2006), the factors that increase appetite. The researchers noted that there was a reduction in the markers of free radical damage in the volunteers' blood, attributed most likely to the very high antioxidant content of almond skins.

In another study conducted at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., scientists found that when the volunteers ate the full dose of almonds, their concentration of two biomarkers of oxidative stress--plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and urinary isoprostanes--were significantly lowered. MDA decreased by nearly 19 percent compared to the start of the study in the full-dose almond group. Isoprostane decreased by 27 percent in both the almond groups when compared to the control period, suggesting a possible threshold effect for that biomarker.Treatments consisted of a "full dose" of almonds, defined as 73 grams daily (about 2.5 ounces), a "half-dose" of almonds plus a half-dose of muffins, and a full-dose of muffins as a control. The subjects consumed a low-fat background diet and were counseled on strategies to maintain weight and to consistently follow their usual exercise routines throughout each test phase. The findings were that there are antioxidant benefits in eating almonds. 

So go nuts! A quarter cup of almonds contains almost 8 grams of protein. That is more than an egg, with 5.5 grams of protein. The are also are easier for the body to digest providing the necessary fiber for your body, leaving you feeling fuller longer.