Photo from: California Almonds (Almond Board of California
When walking through almost every food aisle at Target the other day, all I saw were rows and rows of unhealthy snacks, and food; with only a few “healthy” sections that had some of your usual greens, and other veggies. When looking in your kitchen or dorm for something to much on, have you ever noticed how unhealthy the products you have might be? Or have you been tempted to eat a bag of potato chips instead of a handful of yummy baby carrots just because the chips might suit your taste better?
Ever since I was a little kid one thing I always loved to do was eat, and the best part about my grandparents house was that there was always some thing to snack on in my grandpa’s little table next to his chair in the living room while we watched t.v. There were always raisins, prunes, and different types of nuts depending on the day, and because of this I began my obsession with almonds.
Today I’ll be introducing you to one of my favorite healthy treats that is sure to make it into your next shopping list: almonds! I would like to introduce to you the multitude of benefits that almonds contain that are a great nutritious treat to snack on throughout the day!
Almonds are originally from the mediterranean climate region of the Middle East, and during ancient times have been spread along to southern Europe, northern Africa, and more recently right here in California.
Did you know that there is a bitter and a sweet type of almond in the wild? Plus, did you know that the bitter type of wild almonds, while it is still in the fruit contains a deadly acid once crushed, slightly damaged, or chewed? How humans were able to differentiate bitter wild almonds from the sweet domesticated almonds still remains a mystery.
Through an academic journal found through the Leatherby Libraries by Sylvia Yada, Karen Lapsley, and Guangwei Huang about “A Review of the Composition Studies of Cultivated Almonds”, they mentioned how “the cultivated sweet almond, has long been recognized as a source of nutrients in many traditional diets, and is increasingly promoted as a healthy snack and ingredient.” Especially in todays culture and time, everyone is extremely health and body conscious due to its portrayal in our media. Not to mention this new fad with anything and everything that is a healthy alternative like almond milk and almond butter. So understanding what you should and shouldn’t eat is really important to live not only a healthier, but happier lifestyle.
In America, the number of unhealthy treats and snacks you can find in a supermarket is unbelievable, especially compared to the small “healthy” aisle. Even then, you still need to read the label to check out things like how much sodium there is in it and if it is GMO free. This is why I want to inform you on how much better it is to shop at your local farmers market for food instead of a supermarket. And lucky for us, we have our very own Farmers and Artisans market right across from dodge every Saturday, rain or shine!
I was lucky enough to speak with a member of the Geyer family, who are third generation almond farmers who have had their almond farm for over 50 years in Sacramento Valley, Northern California, which is called Nutfarm. They have an over 700 acre almond farm, where they talked to me about the whole process of growing to shelling almonds. Can you believe that they shell about 3 million pounds of almonds every year? I learned about how it is removed from the tree using a machine that shakes the almonds off the tree. It literally grabs ahold of the bottom of the tree trunk and within seconds the almond fruits are all on the ground.With the growing demand for almonds every year, their farm has continued to keep growing and growing. Plus, I never really thought about this at first, but did you know that almonds are actually a fruit? So for all of you who are allergic to nuts, you can still eat almonds! I also asked her about her thoughts on almond milk and almond butter, which I talk about in detail further down, and she told me that it is a really great health alternative that has been especially brought to light in the past few years due to not only how simple it is to make, but because of how important this alternative is for people in California who want to lose weight!
Almonds and many other nuts can be found at your local farmers market. Yes, almonds like every other nut are high in fat. However, like Dale Kiefer of Life Extension Magazine wrote “While nuts are in fact calorie-dense foods, they are also nutritional powerhouses, packed with healthy fats, muscle-building protein, natural fiber, beneficial minerals such as copper and magnesium, and heart-healthy vitamins and antioxidants.” So you are eating healthy fats instead of extremely unhealthy fats that are found in snacks like potato chips for example.
Almonds are not only a yummy snack, they also have a multitude of health benefits that you might not have even known about! Organic facts mentioned quite a few of them in great detail. Almonds reduce the risk of heart attacks; those who eat the nuts five times a week have been found to have about a 50 percent reduction in the risk of one, according to the Loma Linda School of public Health. It is also great for your brain and for memorization due to nutrients such as riboflavin and L-carnitine which boost your brains activity, and could even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease!
Not to mention the one most of us really care about, almonds are great for weight loss! Organic facts stated that “the mono-saturated fat contained in almonds satisfies our appetite and prevents over-eating.” Along with this, almonds contain a lot of nutrients and vitamins, so the creation of almond milk and almond butter are clearly seen as great alternatives to our dairy milk and peanut butter.
Many people seem quite skeptical about almond milk and almond butter, however I can assure you that it is not only a “fad” but that it really is better for you for many reasons; especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Almond milk is a healthy alternative to cow’s milk, which is made from ground almonds and water. Fit Day mentioned that almond milk contains “vitamin E, manganese, selenium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, fiber, phosphorous and calcium.” Plus, almond milk is also beneficial for your skin care, which is added in many soaps as it helps to improve the complexion of your skin!
Almond butter is a great alternative to peanut butter and it is made by crushing and smoothing almonds into a paste. Fit day mentioned that almond butter is a great fiber source that contains “protein, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Unlike almond butter which does not have any added unhealthy ingredients, most commercial peanut butters have excessive sugar, salt, and saturated fats to make it taste “better”. These unhealthy ingredient can lead to heart problems.
I conducted a survey at the gym on campus with 30 people to find out whether they would make an effort to make or buy almond milk or almond butter. I chose to conduct the survey in the gym, because that is where most of the very health conscious people will be, who would possibly follow on this new health craze. Out of 30 people that I surveyed, 20 of them said that they would make an effort to buy almond milk or almond butter, and 30 of them have actually all tried almond milk before. Due to the fact that most of them already have a healthy meal plan and exercise regularly, the 10 people who disagreed find that they would rather still drink dairy products, especially because they did not enjoy the taste of almond butter, which honestly does not taste like milk at all.
Of course many stores sell chocolate coated almonds, salted almonds, and many other types, however the best way to eat them to get the most benefits are by eating raw almonds which do not have any added flavor/seasoning to them! Especially in college, we are more tempted and surrounded by many unhealthy options to snack on, not to mention the vending machines available around all of our dorms, which are just one swipe away using our PantherBucks. So stopping by your local farmers market, or even a Whole Foods supermarket, you should be able to find raw almonds and other raw nuts that are a great alternative to those unhealthy snacks. The list goes on and on, so the next time you go grocery shopping and you’re looking at the pack of m&m’s and potato chips, remember how unhealthy it is for you, and how there are so many healthy alternatives to snack on like almonds which are not only delicious, but have a multitude of benefits for our body and well being!
Health & Happiness 