Sunday, February 16, 2014

National Almond Day

Who knew it? The Almond has it's own special day.

Medical News Today says that almonds are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber, and are associated with a number of health benefits. Just a handful of almonds, approximately one ounce, contains one-eighth of our necessary daily protein.

Almonds may be eaten on their own, raw or toasted. They are also the ingredients of several different dishes. Almonds are available sliced, flaked, slivered, as a flour, oil, butter, or as almond milk.

The health benefits of almonds have been documented for centuries and modern research is backing up many of the claims - there any many goods reasons why you might want to consider including them in your diet.

So here are some ways I recommend to eat almonds:
  • eat a handful (about 20-25) as a snack, perhaps pair it with an ounce of cheese 
  • mix them with pretzels, chocolate chips and raisins
  • use sliced almonds on your salad or in your oatmeal
  • add them to smoothies
  • eat almond butter on sandwiches
  • drink almond milk
  • grind them and use them as a coating on baked fish or chicken
  • use almond flour when cooking
Be creative, I'm sure you have some great ideas too!

Food Network's Healthy Eats explains that a serving of almonds has 162 calories, 14 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and 6 grams of protein, and when snacking on almonds, portion control is key. One serving of almonds is 23 almonds, which equals 1 ounce, ¼ cup or about 1 handful.


Action Item: If you reach for a snack today, reach for delicious almonds!

For Further Reading: 9 Health Benefits of Almonds and Health Benefits of Raw Almonds and 10 Savory Almond Recipes

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