Almonds

In this Article (Index)

• Almonds
• Health Benefits
• Risks: Allergies
• Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds.
• Phytochemicals
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Oils and healthy fats
• Fiber
• Almond Flour
• Closing Comments

Almonds

The almond tree (Prunus dulcis Mill.) belongs to the Rosaceae family and is therefore related to roses though it is closer to apricots, cherries, and peaches. It originated in what is now Iran, the Middle East, and Turkey and is one of the oldest cultivated nut trees.

The global yearly production of almonds is around 3.18 million tons (M tons), second after walnuts (3.63 M tons). (1)

Almond nut

The almond "nut" is the kernel of the fruit, known as drupe, so it is not a true nut, it is a seed. Below is a view of the fruit on a tree. The outer hull (green) is open, revealing the inner shell:

This is a diagram showing the fruit; notice that the edible kernel is inside the shell.

Like other nuts, almonds are associated with better health, and eating more nuts reduces the risk of coronary heart disease mortality and all-cause mortality.

Almonds are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and protein, as well as antioxidant-rich phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory effects.

Health Benefits

Almonds can help control blood sugar levels; consuming them helps reduce glucose spikes after a meal, and lowers serum insulin, reducing insulin resistance.

A four-week trial found that consuming 43g/day of almonds after breakfast, lunch, or alone, as a snack in the morning or afternoon reduced the feeling of hunger and glucose levels in the blood. Although the almonds provided 250 Kcal of energy each day, the subjects didn't gain weight.
A trial with an intake of 100 g) of almonds per day for four weeks reduced HDL-c in the subjects. Another study in diabetic patients using a daily intake of 60 g, making up 20% of their daily energy intake over four weeks lowered serum insulin levels by 4.1% and the insulin resistance index by 9.2% compared to the control group. (3)

Almond intake improves high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c), the "good" cholesterol levels, and provides satiety for those following lower-calorie diets. The "60 g per day" trial mentioned above also reported a drop in total cholesterol (-6%), LDL-c (low-density lipoprotein, the "bad" cholesterol) fell by 11.6%, and the LDL-c to HDL-c ratio by 9.7%, this is believed to be caused by almond's healthy fatty acids.

Small quantities of almonds (10 g/d) also increased HDL-c and reduced total cholesterol, LDL-c, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL-c) in coronary artery disease patients. (3)

Risks: Allergies

Tree nuts are one of the Big Eight food groups responsible for over 90% of food allergy cases in the US. The other seven allergy-causing foods are peanut, milk, shellfish, soy, wheat, egg, and fish.

Almonds together with peanut allergies are usually more severe and life-threatening than the allergic reactions caused by eggs, or milk, which are normally mild and short-lived.

The protein in nuts is responsible for allergies, almonds can trigger adverse allergic reactions in some people.

Almond nuts are the third most common tree nut to cause allergies in the US. Roughly 10-15% of people who are pre-sensitized to tree nuts are also allergic to almonds. (1)

Take care, allergic reactions can be very serious

Check the food label for the listed allergens ("may contain...", and "Contains..."), it should mention tree nuts (for example: almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, walnut, hazelnut) and peanuts (also called ground nut by some). The American FDA also requires the specific identification of tree nuts such as coconut, shea nut, and pine nuts. Also check the "processed" text which could read: "processed at a facility that handles nuts".
When in doubt, avoid the product, and always read the label for ingredients and the text in the "Precautionary allergen labeling" (PAL). Eating out: Ask the waiter questions.

Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds

• Phytochemicals
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Oils and healthy fats
• Fiber

Phytochemicals

Phenolic Compounds

As with all nuts, almonds contain antioxidant compounds (polyphenols). The most abundant are catechin, epicatechin, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. (2)

The main source of antioxidants in almonds is the pellicle, or skin that covers the almond, and most antioxidants are lost when it is removed.

Vitamins

Almonds are rich in vitamin E and vitamin B group. Below are the Vitamin contents in almonds, mg per 100 grams (for vitamin A it is International Units -IU). (2)

Minerals

Below are some minerals contained in almonds expressed in mg per 100 grams. (2)

Oils and healthy fats

Almonds have roughly 60% monounsaturated fatty acids content (MUFA) and 30% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) with the remaining 10% made up of saturated fats. (2)

Almonds contain 43.3-50.6% of lipids, and the breakdown is the following (g/100 g nut)

Fiber

Almonds have a high content of fiber, (11.8-13.0%). Almond skin is where most fiber is found with 60% of the total fiber content. Blanched almonds therefore have less fiber. (2)

Almond Flour

Almond flour is obtained as a byproduct of almond oil extraction. The almonds are washed, dried, and pressed to extract their oil, and the cake that is left behind is then milled into flour.

Almond flour has twice the amount of protein than a regular wheat flour (26 g vs. 12 g), three times the fiber, six 6 times the minerals (3 g vs 0.5 g), and almost 50 g of oils vs only 1.7 g in wheat flour.

Almond flour is more energy-dense than regular wheat flour (579 kcal per 100g vs. 332 kcal).

Like all nut flours it can be made at home using your high-speed blender. It is also gluten-free.

Closing Comments

Almonds are a healthy nut to add to your diet, ideally with its skin, or alternatively as a replacement for all-purpose wheat flour in your baked breads, cakes, or cookies. It promotes cardiovascular health, provides satiety, and essential nutrients, and improves blood sugar levels as well as better cholesterol parameters.