Almonds are the most versatile of all nuts. They have been widely accepted in their raw form as well as in a myriad of processed forms and are extensively used in cooking, breakfast cereals, confectionery and snacking.

Recently, momentum has increased in the promotion of almonds as a healthy food. Almonds are amongst the most nutritious foods known.

The long held myth that nuts are 'high in fat' and as such should be consumed infrequently is slowly being 'debunked'. Recent studies are beginning to show that in addition to their great taste, almonds have health benefits which could see them adding considerable nutritional value to diets into which they are incorporated.

Almonds themselves are cholesterol fee and a good source of dietary fibre. Although it is true that almonds are high in fat, it is predominantly a monounsaturated fat. These monounsaturated fats which are sometimes referred to as 'good fats' have been shown to reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the body. Recent research has shown that consuming 100g a day of almonds could reduce cholesterol levels by 12%. The resultant effect is that consumption of almonds can lead to a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease.

Almonds also contain high levels of antioxidants such as Vitamin E, protein, calcium and minerals valuable to daily dietary intakes. An increasing body of scientific research has linked Vitamin E to lowering the risk of heart disease. A 1996 research study of 34,000 women showed that the consumption of foods rich in Vitamin E cut their risk of heart disease by over 60%. This study cited nuts as one of the most concentrated food sources of Vitamin E.

Almonds have been shown to be an excellent natural source of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are a group of biologically active compounds found in plant based foods which may help in the fight against cancer. In particular preliminary laboratory research has shown that several phytochemicals found in almonds have been shown to suppress certain types of cancer cell growth.

¹Dr Gene Spiller, 'Effect of Two Foods High in Monounsaturated Fat on Plasma Cholesterol'.