Going Nuts Over Almonds

: Unripe almonds on tree – Wikipedia.org

Almonds are a good source of calcium, iron, vitamin E and monounsaturated fats. I personally try to eat a few almonds every day, and now my son is showing an interest in sharing them with me. We do not eat the roasted or salted varieties, but prefer the raw nuts. One of the tricks we use is to soak a handful of almonds in water overnight, which makes them soft and easy to chew.

After soaking overnight, we drain the water and then remove the brown peel with a knife. The softened almonds look milky white.

You can offer a few of them to your child, or chop them into small pieces and mix with his favorite cereal. When giving him a whole almond, keep a close watch because it can be a choking hazard.

Almonds have a very high nutritious value. According to the nutrition facts label, a serving size of 1 oz (28 g, about 25 whole almonds) provides:

160 calories, 120 of which are from fat. Total fat is 14 g, but most of it is of the monounsaturated type which is known to reduce the LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
Only 6g carbohydrates. Almond flour can be used for cake and bread recipes suitable for people on low-carb diets or those with diabetes. It is also gluten free, therefore very useful for people with wheat allergies.
6 g protein, 8% calcium, 6% iron.
Almonds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which are known to promote brain development.
They are a very good source of vitamin E and several B vitamins.

Typically, we soak about 10-15 almonds at a time. It is not very practical to eat 25 in a day for sure. Even if your child can eat 4-5 at a time, that is good enough. The important thing is to develop a taste for nuts and include them in the daily diet as a nutritious snack.

So go ahead, and go nuts over almonds!

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