Almonds are an excellent food to eat every day because they are full of protein, vitamins, and fiber. Eating them regularly is thought to reduce your risk of health problems like cancer, heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
And though they also have a fair amount of fat, it is mostly the healthy monounsaturated kind that actually protects your heart. Still, almonds contain quite a few calories, so it’s best to eat them in moderation.
It may sound incredible that just four daily almonds could do anything at all for your health, but it’s true! In one ounce of almonds you’ll get 3.5 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, and 9 grams of monounsaturated fat. Almonds also deliver a good amount of vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. Present in smaller yet significant amounts is copper, calcium, riboflavin, iron, zinc, and phosphorus.
So what can all that goodness do for your body? You’ll be surprised by these 7 important benefits that occur if you eat at least 4 almonds every day.
1. Healthier Cholesterol Levels
Almonds are great for reducing bad LDL cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol. That’s important because high cholesterol puts you at risk for all sorts of health complications, including heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.
When you substitute almonds for an unhealthy snack like chips or candy, you can reduce your bad cholesterol by up to 10%. The benefit is linked to the vitamin E content within the nutmeat, and the flavonoids contained in the papery skin of the almond. Together, they prevent the development of artery-clogging plaque.
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