The great benefits of almonds for your heart
For decades, researchers have investigated how eating almonds can result into a healthier heart. The agricultural weekly magazine Teatro Naturale just published a new discovery that adds more proof to this longtime issue. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted a study demonstrating that consuming almonds as a snack remarkably improves vascular health and bad cholesterol levels.
“This study shows that eating almonds instead of the typical snacks that many of us consume (such as chips, cookies, and pastries) is beneficial for our heart health, reducing bad LDL cholesterol levels and improving the health of our arteries. Based on existing data on the risk of cardiovascular disease, we predict that replacing typical snacks with almonds would lead to a 30% reduction in the risk of a cardiovascular event in the long run,” said Dr. Wendy Hall, PhD, principal co-researcher and Reader in Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London.
30% less heart problems with a snack! This is great news. And after you’ve tried this recipe for almonds with sea salt, you won’t look back at those bags of chips.
Good for your heart and for the earth
If it’s true that all almonds are good for you, it doesn’t mean that all almonds are good for the environment. Not all almonds are created equal: depending on the geographical area where they grow and their cultivar, almond cultivation can have an extremely bad impact on the soil.
However, a sustainable approach to almond cultivation is possible. Heirloom almond varieties adapt overtime to their unique micro climate, creating a very balanced ecosystem. That’s what happened in Sicily, where almonds are the backbone of the food culture. Noto and Avola, in the southern tip of Sicily, are known the world over for their century-old almond cultivating traditions. Not only do farmers in Noto and Avola grow the most flavorful almonds in the world, they do so in the most sustainable of ways: without irrigation. These are ethical almonds, good for your health and good for the earth.