Almonds- a healthy and tasty part of the Latin-American Diet

25/04/05 At the International Latin- American Diet Summit in Mexico City convened by Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust, leading U.S. and Mexican researchers and health professionals learned that almonds are a healthy and tasty part of the Latin-American diet. Almonds play a role in improving the total diet package providing valuable protein and fiber and may help combat obesity and diabetes.

Almonds are a nutrient dense addition to any dietary pattern. Researchers at Loma Linda University in California observed that the overall intake of several important nutrients, such as protein, dietary fiber and vitamin E, increased when people added almonds to their regular diets. Almonds are an excellent and unique source of protein in that they provide dietary fiber -- something that other protein sources, such as meat, seafood and dairy, do not offer. These findings indicate that incorporating almonds into a diet may promote the natural displacement of less nutrient-dense foods, making the overall diet better.

Additional emerging research also suggests that almonds may help people maintain a healthy weight. "In a study of overweight and obese people following a strict weight-reducing diet, almonds seemed to encourage greater weight loss," says Michelle Wien, DrPH, RD, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. "We are also seeing preliminary results for studies that almonds can be added to a diet without causing weight gain and that remarkably participants naturally compensate for the added calories from almonds. This may be due to greater satiety caused by the protein and fiber in almonds."

This body weight effect of almonds also positively affected those studied who had diabetes. "When overweight and obese people who have diabetes included almonds in their diets, they were able to also lower their blood sugar readings and in some cases, take less diabetes medications," says Wien.

Almonds are a nutrient powerhouse and provide many important vitamins and minerals the body needs to maintain its normal, healthy function. Calorie for calorie and ounce for ounce, almonds are the most nutrient-dense nut, making them a smart ingredient for a meal or a snack.

Hispanics in the United States and Mexico utilize almonds in a variety of ways including traditional Latin-American dishes like moles. Leading nutritionists suggest that people eat a handful of almonds a day over less- nutrient-dense snacks such as chips or pretzels.

The Almond Board of California administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Established in 1950, the Board's charge is to promote the best quality almonds, California's largest tree nut crop.

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