Almond Joy

While a serving of Almond Joy candy bar delivers 9 grams of saturated fat, 21 grams of sugar and 220 calories -- not a happy outcome -- there’s non-stop joy for folks who have obesity if they consume a bit less than 2 ounces a day of plain, raw, unsalted almonds for 12 weeks. That’s the conclusion of researchers who pooled data from 37 studies to figure out just what benefits you can get from eating these is nutrition-packed beauties. Their findings, published in Obesity Reviews, show that eating almonds daily helps you lose weight, achieve a healthier waist circumference, shed body fat and reduce your hunger. (Other research shows that true of walnuts, too!)

So, what’s in almonds (and walnuts) that boosts weight loss? One serving (about 23 nuts) delivers vitamin E, fiber, biotin, monounsaturated fats, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and phytonutrients such as flavonoids. This combination of nutrients helps improve your microbiome and reduce inflammation, which in turn improves metabolism, helps control glucose levels, and allows you to gain more nutrition from the foods you eat -- reducing hunger. And they aren’t just good for adults working to reclaim their health.

One recent study in Frontiers in Nutrition found that when youngsters at risk for developing prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes eat almonds daily for 12 weeks, it lowers lousy LDL cholesterol levels and improves A1c (longterm glucose levels), offering some protection from developing the conditions. For more information on reducing your diabetes risks, check out the iherb.com blog, “These Herbs, Spices and Nuts Could Help with Diabetes Management.”

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