Thursday, November 19, 2009

Some times you feel like a nut..

As a vegan, my main source of protein comes from legumes (beans) and nuts/seeds. Almonds tend to be the nut I eat the most of, and definitely my favorite tasting nut.


What makes almonds so great?
  • Almonds can be ground and turned into flour, which is great for baking and use in all kinds of recipes. Since almonds are not full of carbohydrates, almond flower is safe for people with a gluten intolerance.
  • Almonds are a great source of Vitamin E.
  • Research has suggested that almonds help raise HDL (healthy) cholesterol levels, and lower LDL (lousy/bad) cholesterol levels.
  • Almonds are low in saturated fat, which makes them a much healthier snack than not-so-nutritious vending machine snacks. Grab a handful of almonds before you head to work for the day, or keep a jar in your desk. Just be sure you don't eat the entire container in one sitting!
  • One ounce of almonds (not very much!) contains 12% of your daily protein allowance.
  • One ounce of almonds contains as much calcium as 1/4 cup of milk. Even more evidence that dairy products don't have to be your one and only source of calcium.
  • Almonds are also a great source of folic acid.

PS Did you know that almonds come from beautiful, pink flowering trees? True story. -->

1 comment:

klevans said...

i did not know almonds came from such lovely trees. in fact, i don't think i had any idea where almonds came from at all. ha. thanks