Eating a number of almonds on a daily basis can help to enrich the diets of both children and adults alike according to a study by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
The 14 week study published in the Nutrition Research journal involved UF/IAS nutrition scientists giving almonds on a daily basis to 29 pairs of parents and children. The majority of the adults were mothers with an average age of 35, while their children were aged between 3 and 6 years old. Children were encouraged to eat 0.5 ounces of almond butter daily, while the parents had 1.5 ounces daily.
The participants ate the almonds for a few weeks and then carried on their regular eating patterns including snacks. The research conclusions were based on the improved dietary intake and on participants Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores, the latter of which is a tool used to measure diet quality and adherence with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
When the parents and children ate the almonds, the HEI score increased from 53.7 to 61.4. The Healthy Eating Index works on the category’s weight and how much of the food group a person is currently consuming.
Almonds are a great source of protein, magnesium, essential fatty acids and Vitamin E which is why you should try including more of them into your diet on a regular basis. By eating a whole foods diet you can get all of these nutrients on a daily basis. Another great option to ensure you get a daily dose of vitamins and minerals (alongside eating nuts regularly) is to supplement by using a liquid multivitamin formula such as Active Life from Good Health Naturally.
