Nuts About Almonds

One of the tastiest changes to my diet since I started faithfully following The Zone is the addition of almonds to most of my meals and snacks. Sometimes I get my healthy fats from canola oil or olives, but most of the time, it’s a crunchy, salty-good pile of almonds.Bet you didn’t know…

California produces 80% of the world’s supply of almonds, almost a billion pounds per year. The world’s largest almond factory is in Sacramento, California. It processes 2 million pounds of almonds a day.

Historians generally agree that almonds and dates — both mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible — were among the earliest cultivated foods.

King Tutankhamun took several handfuls of almonds to his grave in 1352 B.C. to nourish him on his journey into the afterlife.

Ancient musicians adopted the oval shape of the almond in the design if a musical instrument called the mandora which evolved in 18th-century in Italy into the mandolino (mandolin).

Almonds are actually stone fruits related to cherries, plums and peaches.

Almonds are the most nutrient-dense tree nut. One ounce of almonds (20-25 almonds which is roughly 7-8 Zone fat blocks and 2-3 Weight Watchers points) contains 160 calories and is packed with healthy (monounsaturated) fats. Almonds are also an excellent source of vitamin E (35% of your RDA) and magnesium, and a good source of protein (12% of RDA) and potassium. Plus, 1 ounce of almonds also contains about as much calcium as a 1/4 cup of milk.

In 2003 the U.S. FDA reported: “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

On top of all that, they taste SO GOOD! Don’t you want to nibble on some today?