Almonds Benefit Health

Have you ever been in the mood for munchies, the first thing you reached for was probably something terribly unhealthy. Unfortunately, eating healthy is increasingly hard since junk food tends to be cheep and easily accessible. If it was easier to find something beneficial, would you still choose junk food?

For less than two dollars, you can usually find a vending machine selling mostly chips and candy. Vending machines can be convenient at times. In order to buy anything you have to always carry around change which may or may not be eaten by the machine.

Almonds are referenced in the Bible

A better alternative to searching for a vending machine is to bring your own. Packing food can be a bother, but simple snacks to help you make it through class can be worth carrying a few ounces in your pocket or purse. Probably the most simplest snack to pack for the day are nuts.

Almonds are nuts that have several good reasons to be eaten. Almonds has high protein and can help stabilize blood sugar. Almonds also contain potassium, magnesium, and Vitamin E, all three are nutrients that prevents heart disease and strokes.

A site named Nutfarm suggests that almonds are Phytochemical Powerhouse. This means that they may spark "body processes that fight or slow down the development of diseases." Eating almonds can help lower cholesterol.

A handful of almonds in a plastic baggie can fit in your pants pocket, that is, if you can make room next to your cell phone.

Fermentation, a Good Thing

The fermentation process used to turn grapes into wine causes the final product to contain alcohol. Kombucha is similarly produced through fermentation. Unlike wine, when kombucha has less than one percent alcoholic content, too minute to intoxicate.

Just four of GT's flavors

Kombucha is fermented tea made with highly concentrated tea and a symbiotic culture called a scoby. The scoby is a visible mass of bacteria and yeast. When kombucha is left for longer than 14 days, it actually loses much of its alcohol. 

The symbiosis of the bacteria and yeast works really well. The bacteria produces sugar which the yeast eats and produces alcohol. The alcohol is used by the bacteria to produce sugar, thus, the alcohol level dose not increase. 

There are many different flavors of kombucha made by GT. The initial taste may take some getting used to if you aren't used to fermentation, but the benefits are definitely worth it. 

There are several acids that are produced by the symbiosis each with their own benefit. Acetic acid inhibits harmful bacteria, Usnic acid is effective against several viruses, Malic detoxifies the liver, and Oxalic acid encourages intercellular energy production. 

An educational website lists additional benefits including increasing metabolism, improving digestion, reducing blood pressure, lowering glucose levels, relieving headaches migraines, and reducing kidney stones.

The wide range of potential benefits makes kombucha worth looking into.  

An Apple a day...dipped in Chocolate

"An Apple a day keeps that doctor away." How many times have you heard this growing up? It's a popular saying, but have you ever asked why? 


Apples have a similar effect on our emotions as chocolate does. Doctors Macht M and Dettmer D concluded, in their research of the two foods, that "Both chocolate and the apple reduced hunger, elevated mood and increased activation" 

Did you know that apples can help increase you're heart's health? Apples have natural antioxidants and phytochemicals which can help your body stay healthy in more ways than one. Writer Ethan A. Huff cited a study that suggest that apples can reduce heart disease, benefit digestion, and have "triterpenoid compounds that prevent cancer cells from forming."

Now, did you know that chocolate can also help you're health? Eating chocolate can reduce diabetes risk and stroke risk. 

Now before you rush to the store and buy all the Dove chocolate available, go back to my first post. Remember? Sugar and many replacement sweeteners can be bad for you. It's not really the chocolate that's good for you.

"What? You just lied to me?" Well, eating chocolate with lots of sugar can hurt your health instead of help. What you really want is the cocoa: eat dark chocolate.

Because most of us have grown up eating sweet treats and avoided bitter, but you want to chose chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa. There are only a few people who may be able to manage eating 90% cocoa bars. My favorite chocolate bar is 72% cocoa with raspberries. 

If you want to know about additional benefits of eating chocolate there are numerous studies to read. One informational website is by thesis. One article about apples is Apples Good for Your Heart.

More than Just a Nut

Despite the craze diets that promote a low-fat intake, adults can benefit from eating foods with certain fats.   Peanuts contain monounsaturated fats which can reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL). The levels of these two types of cholesterols is related to the condition of your heart.


A research article comparing the intake of peanuts and it's effects on cardiovascular health stated, "Nuts and peanuts ... if routinely incorporated in a healthy diet, population risk of CHD would ... expected to decrease." The article also mentioned studies showing high antioxidants in both peanuts and almond skins.

A handful of peanuts make a heart healthy snack

In addition to a healthy heart, peanut butter can also help you lose weight by making you feel full longer.


"Moderate amounts of fat actually help control hunger and improve willpower " said Virginia Messina, a dietitian specializing in vegan nutrition.  "People who eat diets containing peanuts or other fat-containing foods actually maintain their weight loss more easily than those eating a low-fat diet."

A web site for athletes Beginner Triathlete also promotes peanuts. 

"In this day and age of energy bars, protein powders and weight gain shakes," Nancy Clark, a sports nutritionist wrote, "many athletes forget about “real" foods such as peanut butter. Peanut butter is perhaps the best sport food around." 

If you have been avoiding natural foods because of the fat content, you should probably investigate the kinds of fats they contain. There may be several fatty foods like peanut butter that can actually improve your health. Living in a country where heart disease is becoming more common, if you don't eat peanuts, you should probably reconsider. 

One last note: when you buy whole peanuts, be carful. Many peanut butters also have extra ingredients like sugar. The best peanut butter to buy should have just one ingredient: peanuts.