Almighty Almonds – Why, How and When to have them.

Almonds are subtly flavored and supremely healthy nuts. Often referred to as “Badam” in India they are technically the seeds of the fruits of the almond tree. Almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and compounds called phytochemicals. It has a long shelf life and hence can be stored for long periods easily.It’s a power house of nutrients and hence the inclusion of them in our daily lives can be extremely beneficial.

Reasons on why you should have them daily are:

• It helps in cancer prevention as it has valuable antioxidants with so many cancer-fighting qualities.
• It protects against cardiovascular diseases and reduces cardiac arrest risk.
• The calcium and magnesium in them makes the bones strong and protects them.
• They aid in diabetes control by controlling blood sugar levels.
• It helps in lowering the cholesterol.
• It helps in weight loss.
• It gives you 35 percent of your daily allowance of vitamin E.
• It’s a great source of folic acid especially helpful during pregnancy and reduces risk of cervical cancer.
• Phosphorus content in it helps make bones and teeth strong.
• Calcium found in almonds may lower risks of colon and rectal cancers.
• Fibers in this nut may also help protect against colon cancer. The folic acid in almonds may help reduce the risk of cervical cancers.

How to eat them the right way?

Eating almonds the right way is very essential for absorbing its nutrients else the wrong way could actually harm your digestion. Almonds are usually difficult for most people to digest because their brown coating inhibits secretion of digestive enzymes in the stomach. Soaking them removes this inhibitor so that the enzymes secreted during digestion can do their job. Soak them in a glass or steel container filled with drinking overnight for 12 hours. The brown skin of the almond will then peel off easily and you can consume the required and refrigerate the rest.

What is the best time of the day to have them?

Its best to have them along with breakfast or earlier in the day as you will have enough time to burn off the calories.

How many almonds can you have daily?

Around 10-15 almonds a day can be safely consumed or approximately a handful of them.

Consuming almonds how many times a week is good enough?

Around five times a week should be sufficient.

What is the cost of almond in India? Where can I get them?

100gms of almonds in India cost around Rs 120. At any super market almond packets are easily available. It would be a healthier choice to go in for organic almonds.