It's well known that almonds are good for you, especially for those who love sports and follow a balanced diet. Now, two new studies —both promoted by the Almond Board of California —once again confirm their beneficial effects: it seems that this dried fruit is an incredible ally for the well-being not only of the intestine but also of the cardiovascular system.
Almonds for Gut Health
The first study highlighted the ability of almonds to act as prebiotics, or substances that nourish or feed the beneficial intestinal bacteria in the large intestine, such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Roseburia. By promoting the balance and diversity of bacteria present in the intestine, they can stimulate the production of beneficial compounds that can help protect the intestinal lining and reduce inflammation.
According to Professor Jack Gilbert of the University of California, San Diego, head of the Nutrition for Precision Health project at the National Institutes of Health and co-author of the paper, almonds "act as prebiotics, helping to support gut health. They contain dietary fiber, polyphenols, and non-digestible carbohydrates such as oligosaccharides, which provide their prebiotic effects. These nutrients are metabolized by beneficial gut bacteria, encouraging their growth and producing beneficial compounds such as short-chain fatty acids."
In other words, almonds are true friends of our health that not only strengthen the immune system and promote healthy digestion, but also improve brain function and help protect against various diseases.
Almonds for The Well-Being of The Heart
In the second study – in addition to the benefits they have on the gut, thanks to the presence of fiber, polyphenols and oligosaccharides, already highlighted in the previous study – the researchers highlighted the enormous potential of almonds for cardiovascular health: in particular, their consumption appears to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol and also blood pressure. But not only that: the team of experts detected a close connection between gut health and that of the heart. According to Dr. Ravinder Nagpal, co-author of the article and director of the Gut Biome Lab at Florida State University, "the gut-heart axis is an emerging and exciting area of interest in cardiovascular research and our review of the literature suggests that almonds may positively impact this aspect. Eating almonds appears to regulate the gut microbiome, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and increase butyrate production. Overall, this helps alleviate inflammation and support metabolic function. This could help explain the numerous cardioprotective effects of almonds."
Although the benefits of these little allies on our health are now well-known, further studies are still needed, as researchers also underline, especially to understand how intestinal well-being and that of the cardiovascular system are actually connected.
How Many Almonds Can You Eat Per Day?
Excellent as a snack during the day, almonds are an incredibly delicious food to enhance your recipes: you can use them to garnish yogurt and cereal, but also to add a crunchy touch to salads or to make tasty spaghetti with pesto. However, despite their goodness, you shouldn't overdo their consumption, as with any food. For this reason, researchers have suggested the appropriate daily amount of almonds: a 30-gram serving, capable of providing our body with 6 g of protein, 4 g of fiber, 13 g of unsaturated fat, only 1 g of saturated fat and 15 essential nutrients, including 81 mg of magnesium, 220 mg of potassium and 7.7 mg of vitamin E.
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