Seven great things about almonds

Rich source of healthy fats – almonds contain healthy unsaturated fats, predominantly mono-unsaturated fat (66% of total fat), plus have a low proportion of saturated fat (7% of total fat).
Like all other plant foods, almonds are also cholesterol free.
Excellent source of natural vitamin E – almonds are high in vitamin E with a 30g serve providing over 70% of the RDI. [6, 7] Vitamin E is an important fat soluble vitamin and antioxidant which can help maintain a healthy heart.
Contains natural plant sterols [6] which can help to lower cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol re-absorption in the intestine. Almonds contain 172mg of plant sterols per 100g.
Source of plant protein particularly amino acid arginine – almonds contain around 6g protein in every 30g handful. [6] Arginine is converted to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to relax and remain elastic, and helps prevent blood clotting. Hardening of the arteries and blood clotting can lead to heart disease.
Improves blood cholesterol – almonds lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. One study found that a 73g serve of almonds each day reduced LDL cholesterol by almost 10% while 37g, or around a handful, reduced LDL by around 5%. [9] The consumption of almonds as part of a vegetarian diet which was also low in saturated fat, and high in plant sterols, soy protein and soluble fibre, was found to reduce LD Lcholesterol by a third. [10, 12]
A study conducted by scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and released in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) provides a new understanding of almonds’ calorie count, showing that whole almonds provide about 20 percent fewer calories than originally thought. [12] This study indicates that the Atwater factors, when applied to certain foods, may result in overestimation of their measured metabolisable energy content. Traditional methods overstated the calories from almonds because they do not account for the fat that is not fully absorbed. This is thought to be due, in part, to the fibre content and/or the rigidity of almond cell walls.

How should almonds be stored?

Store under cool and dry conditions in an airtight container.
Avoid exposure to strong odours (eg garlic) as almonds can absorb odours of other materials if exposed for prolonged periods.
Roasted products must be protected from oxygen.
If kept under cold storage conditions, whole natural almonds can be stored for about two years with no significant loss in quality.
Bring nuts to room temperature before use to optimise their delicious flavour.

(written by Christina Soong)

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