10 Amazing Health Benefits of Almonds

Can including a calorie-rich food in your regular diet help you lose weight and stay fit? Well, turns out it can, if it’s a ‘superfood’ like almonds. People often refrain from consuming nuts, as they are touted to be rich in fat content. Contrary to popular perception, this nutlike seed is loaded with essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals that can work wonders on almost area of your body. They are good for your brain, heart and digestive system; no wonder then almonds have been an integral part of home remedies for centuries. Consume a handful of almonds on an empty stomach in the morning or include them in salads and desserts for a healthier, fitter body.

Nuts for a Healthier Body:

Every tiny portion of your body stands to benefit from consuming almonds. Some of the known health benefits of almond nuts include low cholesterol levels, reduced risk of deadly diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart diseases.

1. Improves blood fat: Latest research indicates that almonds are wonderful means of raising the blood HDL levels (good cholesterol) while maintaining lower blood LDL levels (bad cholesterol). Additionally they act as markers of antioxidant levels in the body.

2. Low Cholesterol: One would imagine that high-fat almonds would trigger a rise in body’s cholesterol levels. The reality is quite the opposite. Including almonds in your daily diet gives a boost to HDL – good cholesterol – and significantly brings down the LDL – bad cholesterol – levels. Studies have revealed that regular consumption of almonds can result in a significant 4.4% drop in LDL levels.

3. Healthier digestive system: Being a high-fiber food, almonds have detoxifying qualities. Consuming four to five almond nuts everyday can prove to be an effective cure for digestive troubles such as chronic constipation. Besides, since the fiber helps food move along the digestive tract smoothly, it cleanses the system and considerably reduces the risk of colon cancer.

4. Strengthening immune system: Alkalinity of body’s various systems is a decisive factor behind the strength of the immune system. Being rich in alkali materials, almonds increase the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases.

5. Healthy heart: Almonds almost work like a magic wand on the human heart. Almonds help in reducing the presence of C-reactive proteins that trigger inflammations which damage the arteries. Magnesium present in almonds notably reduces the risk of heart attacks, while its Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that keeps the heart healthy. The flavonoids-rich almond skin, along with its Vitamin E content, provides protect against damage to artery walls. Its mono-unsaturated fats, potassium and proteins prove helpful in keeping the heart healthy.

6. Less birth defect:  Consuming almonds during pregnancy can reduce the risk of birth defects in babies. Almonds are a rich source of folic acid that is known to facilitate healthy cell growth in a fetus. Therefore, a few almond nuts a day can eliminate the probability of your baby being born with deficiencies like the neural tube defect.

7. Good for diabetics: Almonds offer a stabilized metabolism to diabetic patients by checking a sudden rise in glucose and insulin levels, usually triggered after meals.

8. Brain Power: Almonds are known to enhance intellectual faculties of the minds. These contain the phenylalanine chemical that is known as a brain-boosting agent. Besides, presence of L-carnitine and riboflavin in almonds leads to enhanced brain activity and is believed to reduce the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s.

9. Weight loss: The mono-unsaturated fats in almonds make them a great weight loss agent. These fats satiate hunger and prevent consumption of large meals, thereby speeding along the weight loss process. Also Read – How to Lose Weight Using Cinnamon Powder and Honey

10. Higher Energy levels: Due to the presence of copper, manganese and riboflavin in almonds, their consumption is great for gaining instant higher energy levels especially for those participating in sports events.

Almonds can make your skin look more radiant, lend strength to your bones and generally keep you agile by maintaining high energy levels in the body. So, move on from the nuts-are-unhealthy myth and make almonds an integral part of your diet regime for an improved and active life. Pop a few of these nuts every now and then, soak them overnight and consume them on an empty stomach, or add them to milkshakes, desserts and smoothies; whatever you do, make sure your body gets its daily dose of almonds.

Also Read – The Benefits of Almond Oil on Hair and Skin