In a nut shell

A gentleman sporting a brightly colored aloha shirt approached me as I was about to get in my car. He said he really enjoys my column, but when it comes to food, he’s pretty set in his ways.

"Since I’m not likely to make too many changes, what’s the one food that will give me the most bang for my buck?" he asked. "Can you give it to me in a nut shell?”

I smiled knowing that’s exactly where it comes from: a nutshell. An almond shell to be exact. Almonds are not only a super food, they are one of the most powerful foods available as well.

Researchers at Loma Linda University reported you could improve your diet on many levels just by adding almonds. A recent study shows that when almonds were added as a snack to a regular diet, the overall intake of several important nutrients increased. And, if you’re replacing a less nutrient dense food, aka junk food snack, then the overall diet improves as well.

Surprisingly, they’re really a fruit, related to peaches and cherries. They’re loaded with vitamin E, which helps to lower C-reactive proteins. High levels of C-reactive proteins are an indication of inflamed arteries and a risk for heart disease. This high vitamin E content also makes them a powerful antioxidant with cancer fighting properties.

Eating almonds has the same effect on the body as statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs. The American Dietetic Association and The Journal of the American Medical Association agree that almonds lower your blood cholesterol levels. A one-and-a-half ounce handful of almonds have protein, fiber, potassium, phosphorous, calcium and iron in about 240 calories. They contain even more magnesium than spinach. They are higher in fiber than any other nut. In an ounce of raw blanched almonds you’ll find 1.5 grams of fiber. And if you choose unblanched almonds the fiber content doubles. They’re also higher in calcium than any other nut and the calcium they contain is bio-available or usable to your body. Many food sources may say they have calcium, but if your body can’t assimilate that form of calcium it’s useless.

But what about the fat? We know nuts are notorious for fat. Yes, they are high in fat, but very low in saturated fat. That means most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated fat, and that’s the kind of fat that helps with body function — the kind that's good for you. In one ounce of almonds you’ll have 15 grams of beneficial fat and only one gram of saturated fat. You can’t beat that for a snack food. I call it “power snacking.”