How Good Are Almonds?
Almonds contain 19% protein and 20% carbohydrates. This makes it a great source of protein. Almonds eaten in the natural form is most beneficial.
The critical question is how much protein do we need?
A typical non-vegetarian diet is rich in protein. Any average eater would consume up to 90 grams of protein everyday through his typical non-vegetarian diet. This by far is much more than what is ideally needed by the body. As long as you are not indulging in heavy labor, the typical requirement of protein would lie between 30 to 40 grams per day.
So if you are eating a non-vegetarian diet predominantly, it makes sense to cut down on the intake of almonds or any other seeds and nuts. Nuts are known to be a high source of protein and should be taken in limited quantities.
Almonds are low fat nuts
It is better to consume almonds than nuts like Brazils and Pecans due to their low-fat content. The below table provides the fat percentage present in these nuts
- Brazils - 70% fat
- Pecans - 72% fat
- Almonds - 54% fat
- Sunflower seeds - 47% fat
Avoid combining Almonds with Starch Food
The rule of thumb for right food combination is to avoid protein with starch food. There are some cultures where rice and almonds are mixed for desserts, this can be quite difficult to digest. Protein does not digest well with starch. Rice, steamed potatoes and bread are food contents rich in starch. Almonds and other nuts are rich in protein. Avoid combining them together.
It is also more prudent to eat one type of nut in one sitting. Some people have the habit of combining cashews, almonds and pecans together. This is not advisable because of the varying content of protein and fat in each of the nuts. In fact cashews are rich in carbohydrates and should be avoided with almonds or other protein rich nuts.
Can kids be fed almonds?
Most kids after the age of 5 are well capable of digesting almonds in the raw state. You can even hydrate these nuts by dipping them in water for 12 hours. This way the nuts are easily chewable.
2 year old babies can be feed almond water. The way to prepare it would be to mix 4 parts of water with one part of almond and mash it well. Distill the mixture via a cheese cloth so that there are no solid particles left. You can give a few spoons of this solution to babies. If the baby does not react well to this food you should stop feeding the same.
Eating Fruits with Almonds
The primitive man used to eat fruits and nuts is the common saying, but it would improper to combine them in one meal. Nuts should be eaten separately or with a vegetable salad consisting of celery and tomatoes. Almonds or any other nuts are rich in protein and fat, they require a couple of hours to get completely digested. Fruits are digested immediately (within 25 minutes).
The best practice would be to consume fruits on empty stomach. Combining fruits and nuts together may result in uncomfortable digestive problems in several people.