I love almonds. They are so tasty, but they are also so good for us. I know when I eat them I’m doing something positive for my body.

Almonds are a great source of magnesium, vitamin E, and dietary fibre.

Vitamin E protects cells from free radical damage. This is important as free radical damage has been implicated in ageing and some cancers. If your body is short of vitamin E you have an increased risk of coronary heart disease and some cancers and an acceleration of some degenerative diseases.

Magnesium deficiency can lead to irritability & tension, fatigue, pre-menstrual syndrome and apathy.

Dietary fibre is important for the health of our digestive system and for feeding the bacteria in the gut. A shortage of fibre in the diet can lead to constipation and headaches.

What happens if you eat almonds every day?

Gut health is so important. It can affect so many other aspects of our health, so I was really interested in some research from King’s College, the University of London on eating almonds.

Researchers recruited 87 healthy adults who were already eating less than the recommended amount of dietary fibre and who snacked on typical unhealthy snacks (e.g. chocolate, crisps). Participants were split into three groups:

• Group 1 changed their snacks for 56 g (just under 2 ounces) of whole almonds a day
• Group 2 ate 56 g of ground almonds a day
• Group 3, the control group, ate energy-matched muffins as a control.

The trial lasted four weeks. Researchers found that butyrate was significantly higher among almond eaters compared to those who consumed the muffin. You probably don’t know what this means, so let me explain.

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that is the main source of fuel for the cells lining the colon. When these cells function effectively, it provides an ideal condition for gut microbes to flourish, for the gut wall to be strong and not leaky or inflamed and for nutrients to be absorbed.

This is definitely what you want for your gut – good bacteria and a gut wall that doesn’t allow food particles through that shouldn’t get through.

What else are almonds good for?

Almonds have been shown to be beneficial in other ways. Earlier research from the same team found that eating almonds may help improve the heart and nervous system’s responses to mental stress. I guess that’s something we all need in this busy, chaotic world.

Yet another study from the same university shows that eating almonds every day can lower ‘bad’ LDL-cholesterol.

The researchers say:

“The improvement in endothelial function and LDL-cholesterol levels suggests that replacing typical snacks with almonds, as 20% of total calorie intake, has the potential to reduce adjusted relative cardiovascular disease risk by 32%.”

Do you want to reduce your cardiovascular disease risk? Would you like to be less likely to develop coronary heart disease or have a stroke? I know I do. Eating a small handful of almonds every day can make a difference, so do give it a try.

Are nuts fattening?

You may like the idea of eating almonds every day but be wary of it because you know nuts are very high in calories. For that reason, you may decide that the advice to eat almonds every day is not for you. But think again. Here’s what the research says.

Researchers analysed US data from three longitudinal studies of health professionals – Health Professionals Follow-up Study, 1986 to 2010, Nurses’ Health Study, 1986 to 2010 and the Nurses’ Health Study II, 1991 to 2011. Their results were published in the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. They concluded that:

“… increasing daily consumption of nuts is associated with less long-term weight gain and a lower risk of obesity in adults. Replacing 0.5 servings/day of less healthful foods with nuts may be a simple strategy to help prevent gradual long-term weight gain and obesity.”

A half serving of nuts would be 14 gms/0.5 ounces.

So do eat a helping of almonds every day. Your body will thank you for it. It may well help you avoid putting weight on as you age. You may develop a brilliantly healthy digestive system and reduce your chances of heart disease. What’s not to like about this very tasty snack?