Almonds or ‘badam’ as we popularly know it in India are one of the most popular tree nuts in the entire world. People everywhere consume them not just for the crunchy taste but also for the amazing benefits of almonds. 

As long as you are not allergic to these nuts, almonds make a great addition to every kind of diet. Versatile in nature, these are easy to incorporate in your everyday diet and are tasty as well. 

Need another reason to add almonds to your diet?

Well, almonds are extremely healthy and full of important nutrients that your body needs on a daily basis. 

In this article, let us explore some of the top benefits of eating almonds.

Top 11 Benefits of Almonds 

The benefits of badam or almonds are many. Here, we will discuss the top 11 benefits that they have.

1. Almonds are a powerhouse of nutrients

Almonds grow on a species of tree called the ‘Prunus dulcis’. These are a powerhouse of nutrients as they contain many essential nutrients including protein, fiber and carbs. 

Around 24 almonds contain about 6 grams of proteins, 3.5 grams of fibre and 14 grams of fat. Almonds are a very good source of the healthy fats. The fats in almonds are good for your heart, for your cholesterol as well as for your overall health.

Being the perfect blend of nutrients, almonds are great for building muscles too. This makes them a great snack for all those weight lifters and exercise aficionados. 

Almonds are also a rich source of Vitamin E and about 28 grams of almonds will give you 37% of the necessary Vitamin E RDI. It is also rich in minerals like manganese and magnesium.

All in all, almonds are loaded with nutrients making these nuts a superfood.

2. Almonds are full of antioxidants

Almonds are also a pretty good source of antioxidants. This is one of the best almond benefits.

Antioxidants prevent or slow down the damage caused to your cells by oxidative stress/ free radicals. The damage caused by oxidative stress can lead to cancer, inflammation and aging.

Antioxidants also delay the process of aging and work as anti-aging agents. This gives you another reason to eat more almonds. 

In a study conducted it was found out that consumption of almonds significantly reduced oxidative stress biomarkers in a group of 27 people.

3. Almonds contain a good amounts of Vitamin E

Yet another one of the top benefits of almonds is that it is a rich source of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a group of antioxidants that your body needs for protection against oxidative stress.

About an ounce or 28 grams of almonds will give you approximately 50% of the daily value of Vitamin E.

Various studies have suggested that a good vitamin E intake lowers your chances of getting cancer, cardiovascular diseases as well as Alzheimer’s disease.

Along with protecting your body from various diseases, vitamin E is also excellent for your skin and hair. 

4. Almonds are known to reduce cholesterol

One of the best badam/almond benefits is that it reduces your cholesterol. High levels of the ‘bad cholesterol’ or LDL in your body put you at a higher risk for heart related diseases.

However, you can control the levels of LDL with your diet. And one of the best ways of doing this is by eating almonds. These nuts naturally reduce the bad cholesterol in your body.

Quite a lot of studies have suggested that the benefits of eating almonds includes lowering your LDL or bad cholesterol while also maintaining the good cholesterol in your body.

5. Almonds are also known to lower blood pressure

One of the best benefits of almonds includes that these nuts aid in reducing blood pressure.

This is due to the fact that almonds are rich in magnesium. Many researches that have been conducted around the world found out that people who took magnesium supplements daily lowered their blood pressure significantly.

But, why take supplements when you can find magnesium easily available in foods? Thus, being a good source of magnesium, one of the many benefits of almonds includes a reduction in blood pressure. 

So, almonds are great for you if you have a high blood pressure. Even if you don’t, eating almonds regularly will slim your chances of getting a high blood pressure.

6. Almonds can also help lower blood sugar levels

Good news for those having high blood sugar levels or diabetes! Almonds are extremely beneficial in this regard as well. 

Since these nuts are low on carbs but high in fiber, fats and proteins, almonds make a great snack for those with diabetes. 

The high content of magnesium in almonds can also be linked to reduced blood sugar levels. Magnesium is involved in over 300 bodily processes and blood sugar control is one of them.

It has also been found out that at least 25% people who have diabetes are deficient in magnesium. 

So, it is a good idea to have a handful of almonds daily to keep your magnesium levels and hence, your blood sugar levels in check.

7. Almonds are beneficial for a healthy heart

One of the best almond benefits is that it promotes a healthy heart. 

We already discussed that eating almonds helps keep your blood pressure levels in check and also helps in reducing the LDL or bad cholesterol in your body.

But, almonds do much more than that. The oxidation of LDL or the bad cholesterol can lead to various heart diseases. And almonds help to prevent that. The brown colored skin of the almonds is a rich source of polyphenol antioxidants and prevents the oxidation of cholesterol. One study conducted at the Aston University in Birmingham, UK concluded that people who ate almonds regularly had improved blood flow, lower blood pressure and thus, reduced risk of heart diseases.

8. Almonds keep you feeling full for longer

Another one of the wonderful health benefits of almonds is that almonds keep you feeling satiated for a long time.

Proteins are known to keep you full for a long time and almonds are a rich source of protein.

Since you feel full for longer periods of time, you don’t feel the need to munch on food all the time and your overall calorie intake gets reduced.

So, if you are a weight watcher then almonds are the ideal snack for you.

9. Almonds promote healthy brain function

Remember as little kids when your mom would make you eat almonds every day for better memory? Well, she was right as one of the benefits of badam includes improving your brain function.

According to researchers and medical and nutrition experts, almonds contain properties that help enhance your memory and brain function.

This is because almonds are rich in Vitamin E, Omega 3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, Vitamin B6 and all these nutrients present in almonds come together and help in improving your brain function. So, consuming almonds will help you memorize things better and may also reduce your chances of getting Alzheimer’s. 

Yet another reason to go and eat some almonds, right?

10. Almonds are good for weight regulation and may help with weight loss

One of the top benefits of almonds is that it is good for keeping your weight in check and may also help with weight loss.

Since almonds keep you full for longer, your hunger pangs are reduced and you tend to consume fewer calories. This is one reason how almonds could help with weight management and weight loss.

A study conducted on 100 women concluded that the women who consumed almonds lost more weight than those who didn’t. Various other studies and researches too, have backed this theory.

So, if you are keeping your weight in check, eating almonds is a good idea.

11. Almonds are excellent for your skin and hair

Did you know that the benefits of eating almonds include great skin and hair? Well, yes!

Almonds are full of healthy fats and we know that these fats are essential for getting a supple and more moisturized skin. Also being rich in antioxidants, almonds help your skin look youthful by delaying the signs of ageing. Being packed with nutrients, almonds help you to achieve glowing skin.

Along with your skin, Vitamin E is also very essential for your hair. Consuming almonds regularly can help you to get shinier hair. If your hair feels brittle and dry there’s no better food for it than some almonds. Apart from Vitamin E, almonds are also a rich source of proteins and the basic structure of your hair is keratin, which is a type of protein. 

So, for better hair and skin, get a handful of almonds daily.

Over to You

Here we shared the 11 most amazing benefits of almonds. These 11 benefits prove that almonds are basically a superfood and you must include them in your diet. To reap these awesome benefits of almonds, get your hands on high-quality almonds right away!

Some of the other superfoods that you might wish to check out are walnuts, honey, shilajit, and apricots.

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