Almond Board of California celebrated ‘An Afternoon of Health and Great Taste’ with nutritionist Jyoti Chabria and chef Sajesh Nair at Taj Deccan on Thursday. Chabria spoke about the health benefits followed by a live cooking demonstration by the chef on how versatile almond can be.
“Almond is a heart smart nut as it has nutrients which help in improving blood flow and general heart health,” said Chabria. It also has the effect of reducing bad cholesterol without affecting good cholesterol, when included in a healthy diet.
Added to these benefits, the nut doesn’t have cholesterol and also reduces the levels of heart-damaging inflammation.
According to a survey by U.S. Food and Drug Administration done in 2003, consuming 1.5 ounces or 28 grams of nuts per day – such as almonds – as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Almonds are not just a healthy snack but also help in weight management as they provide fiber which keeps you ‘full’ and staves off cravings. The nut has about 160 calories in an ounce. “Almonds are rich in vitamin E, an important antioxidant that helps neutralize harmful free radicals that can damage cells, tissues and DNA which may in turn contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart diseases,” said Chabria.
The most popular myth around almonds is that they generate heat due to which they should only be consumed during winters. “However, there are no studies indicating any ‘heat generating’ effect of almonds. They are beneficial if they are consumed regularly throughout the year”, added Chabria.
