When it comes to healthy food, particularly nuts, seeds, or drupes, most health enthusiasts will think about almonds. And there’s a good reason behind it.
Almonds are extremely nutritious with fiber, protein, monounsaturated fats, and 37% of vitamin E RDA among others. What’s more, almonds are satisfying, whether you’re enjoying homemade almond milk or pancakes topped with fruits and almonds. But how many almonds should you eat daily?
One clinical study on almonds showed that they can help improve HDL cholesterol (the good kind of cholesterol). In the study, the participants who already had coronary artery disease consumed 10 grams of almonds every day, which is equivalent to 12 to 15 almonds.
Aside from improvement in HDL cholesterol, the study also discovered that this particular amount of almonds can help reduce triglycerides while lowering both LDL and VDL cholesterol. Almonds also helped decrease atherogenic index, which is associated with chronic inflammation and vascular diseases.
Wonderful Benefits of Eating Almonds Daily
Consuming 10 to 15 almonds every day can provide you with many health benefits, including:
#1: Fights Diabetes
Almonds are good for people with diabetes. One of the best reasons why you should have 15 almonds daily is that they are high in protein, fiber, and the good kind of fat, while providing only a few amounts of carbohydrates. This trait makes almonds ideal for people with diabetes.
Almonds also contain high amounts of magnesium, which is a mineral that is essential to over 300 processes in the body, including controlling blood sugar levels.
#2: Good For People With Hypertension
Almonds are also good for people with hypertension. For people with high blood pressure, magnesium in almonds also helps decrease hypertension, which is one of the factors that lead to stroke, kidney failure, and heart attacks.
#3: Antioxidants
You’ll get good amounts of antioxidants. You’ve probably heard or read so much about antioxidants, but their importance will never be stressed enough. They help protect our bodies from free radicals that can lead to oxidative stress, a known contributor to aging, cancer, and other diseases.
#4: Protect Against Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and Cancer
Your cell membranes can be protected against damage, thanks to the vitamin E in almonds. An example of an antioxidant is vitamin E, which is useful in protecting the cells from oxidative stress as it builds up in our cell membranes. As a result, we are more protected against heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
Eating 15 or fewer almonds is good for you, especially if you consume it daily. However, having large quantities of the nuts can cause weight gain. An ounce is usually enough to give you the benefits mentioned above.