Considering Foods High in Powerful Antioxidants? Grab a Handful of Almonds

27/06/06 The next time you're shopping for antioxidant-rich foods, make sure to add almonds to your cart. Not only are almonds rich in vitamin E, fiber and magnesium, but according to a study to be published Wednesday in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, they contain antioxidants in levels comparable to those of healthy foods such as broccoli and tea. This high antioxidant content makes eating a handful of almonds a day more important than ever for good health.

Antioxidants serve to deactivate free radicals, rogue elements in the body that can destroy cells and potentially lead to problems such as heart disease, cancer and stroke. The researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University performed a groundbreaking study on the quality and amount of antioxidant compounds in California almonds. They found that almonds contain high levels of several antioxidant compounds, similar to the levels in many fruits and vegetables.

Equal Antioxidant Levels in a Serving of Almonds, Broccoli, or Tea

This new research shows a serving of almonds, for instance, contains the same amount of antioxidants called flavonoids as a serving of broccoli. And a one ounce serving of almonds provides as much of these antioxidants as found in a cup of brewed black or green tea, in addition to being an excellent source of vitamin E. Furthermore, the researchers noted that the main antioxidant compounds found in almonds -- catechin, epicatechin and kaempferol -- are also the ones that provide the highest degree of protection against cell death from oxidants, a mechanism that appears to play an important role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

"This analysis of almond skin antioxidants sheds more light on all the nutrients in almonds that may provide a health benefit," says study author Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and professor, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. "These new findings coupled with past results lay the groundwork for future clinical trials that examine a link between whole almond consumption and the reduced risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions."

The researchers are now conducting additional phases of antioxidant research to describe how efficiently the human body extracts and absorbs these compounds from almonds.

This latest news confirms the importance of consuming almonds as a regular part of one's diet. "Published studies have found that consuming almonds daily may reduce the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration approved a qualified health claim for most nuts and heart health," says Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D.

Bonci, the nutritionist for the latest Super Bowl winners, the Pittsburgh Steelers, added: "This new research demonstrates how eating almonds each day is a simple choice that makes a healthy difference. Almonds' taste, convenience and high nutritional value make them a smart, easy snack or a tasty addition to an entree."

Previous studies have shown that the vitamin E found naturally in almonds, together with its flavonoids and other antioxidants, work synergistically to prevent LDL, or "bad," cholesterol from being oxidized. In fact, this research found that together vitamin E and almond flavonoids were more than twice as effective as when they were administered separately. These findings further demonstrate how the nutrients in whole foods such as almonds can positively impact health.

In addition to its high antioxidant content, a one-ounce, 160-calorie handful of almonds is an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, a good source of protein and fiber, and offers heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and iron.