Almonds have several direct health benefits, which possibly make them the healthiest nut you can eat. They are filled with vitamins and minerals that aid health directly. They seem to have a cholesterol-reducing effect on the body in general. They also may block the body from absorbing fats and carbohydrates, which assists in weight loss and helps prevent diabetes. Finally, they make you feel fuller. Studies have shown people who eat almonds feel fuller when eating other foods – thereby reducing the total amount of calories they eat.
Drugs called statins decrease the overall amount of cholesterol in your body. They mostly do this by reducing the amount of the enzymes in your body that produce cholesterol in the liver. Almonds have this same effect, and work without the (relatively low) risk involved in taking drugs that affect your liver. Combined with the fact that almonds are full of various vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy, they are undoubtedly a better alternative to a healthy lifestyle than drugs.
Almonds also contain plant chemicals called phytochemicals, which have shown to be a powerful protection against heart disease and stroke. This is a potent bundle you have in a small almond.
Almonds reduce the amount of fat and carbohydrates your body absorbs from food. It seems that the fiber in the almond is the cause of this. The fiber has a high satiety level, which is a measure of how full food makes you feel. It moves through the digestive system slowly, which causes you to feel fuller for a longer period of time, and since the fats and carbs are being absorbed slower, some of them don’t get digested at all. Studies have shown that by adding a daily serving or two of almonds to a person’s diet, the increased satiety has caused them to lose weight – they ate less because they weren’t hungry for as much as they usually were. It’s a conclusion that should lead to some dietary revolutions.
There are many reasons almonds are good for you – they control your cholesterol, make you feel fuller, and are packed with vitamins and minerals that directly help you. Is there any reason they are so highly recommended today?
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