Almonds in their skin make a great healthy snack. They’re filling and nutritious, yet take you a while to munch on. I love them for their vitamin E, fibre, monounsaturated oils, protein, B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, zinc and potassium which make blood vessels more elastic. They are heart-protective and can reduce your blood pressure. Aim to eat a handful of almonds a day (30g), which is about 20 to 25 almonds. Good news is that they won’t automatically cause you to gain weight as you’d expect from any food that is half oil. Is it because they reduce the appetite, stop you absorbing all that oil, or make a diet more palatable and enjoyable? All are good reasons with research to back them up. Almonds are also a surprisingly good source of the mineral calcium. One handful has 75mg calcium, as much as in 1/3 cup of ricotta cheese. Even almond skin is an excellent source of a large number of antioxidants known as flavonoids (like those found in tea). These antioxidants work together with the vitamin E in almonds to give protection to your heart and blood vessels. #Almonds #Nuts #EatForHealth #SnackRight #Nutrition #Health #WholeFoods #JERF #OnMyPlate #WhatImEating