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Native to the Middle East, almond is the world’s most popular tree nut. Packed with healthy fats, strong antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals, almonds can offer a range of health and beauty benefits. Having a handful of almonds daily can protect your body cells from harmful free radicals, assist with blood sugar control, and lower blood pressure. Even if you are at high risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, almonds should be a part of your daily diet. Why? That’s because they reduce cholesterol levels and keep your heart healthy.
There are various ways of using almonds. From using cut almonds to garnish desserts to whipping up nutritious chutneys and adding on top of a smoothie, almonds can be used for a variety of culinary purposes. These tea-shaped nuts can also be opted as a mid-day snack to keep those hunger pangs at bay and prevent weight gain.
We commonly hear that almonds should be eaten after removing their outer covering. But, why? Well, there are scientifically proven reasons behind it. The skin of almonds contains polyphenolic biomolecules called tannins which are blamed for lowering the absorption of nutrients. In addition, the peel of almonds is a bit difficult to digest, while chewing unpeeled almonds post soaking them is extremely easy. Therefore, the elderly should not opt for unpeeled almonds. Notably, when you soak almonds in water, they lose phytic acid which is known to lower absorption of nutrients including zinc, calcium, and magnesium.
Having soaked almonds can improve your brain function, nourish your skin, treat constipation, and can keep pregnancy woes at bay.
On the other hand, eating unpeeled almonds can be an option for the younger generation as the rich fibre content of these nuts can assist slow digestion and also act as a protective barrier against heart diseases. Moreover, unpeeled almonds are packed with polyphenols that prevent the oxidation of cholesterol.
