Benefits of eating almonds
Crunchy, sweet, full of good nutrients – when it comes time for a snack, you can’t go wrong with a handful of nuts to calm the appetite and please the palate.
And if you choose almonds, you’ll be getting a good shot of antioxidants as well.
A new study from the Antioxidant Research Laboratory at Tufts University concludes that almonds have antioxidant levels equal to some fruits and vegetables.
Eight varieties of California almonds were tested: Butte, Carmel, Fritz, Mission, Monterey, Nonpareil, Padre and Price. And it’s no coincidence that the research was funded by the Almond Board of California. But even taken with a grain of salt, the results are impressive:
- Catechin, epicatechin and kaempferol are the primary flavonoids in almonds (and also happen to produce higher antioxidant activity than other flavonoids)
- Ounce for ounce, almonds have the same total flavonol content as red onions
- Ounce for ounce, catechin content is similar to brewed green tea
- And ounce for ounce, quercetin and kaempferol content is similar to broccoli
Almonds contain protein, calcium, magnesium (which helps the body absorb calcium) potassium, iron and vitamin E. In fact, in the e-Alert “Go Nuts” (4/18/05), I told you about a study in which almond eaters increased their vitamin E levels and decreased LDL cholesterol levels.
You can use this link to find more information about almonds and the nutritious benefits in other types of nuts:
http://www.hsionline.com/ealerts/ea200504/ea20050418.html
Sources:
“Antioxidant-Rich Almonds on a Par with Fruit and Vegetables” Food Navigator-USA, 6/28/06, foodnavigator-usa.com
