Include almonds on your 'heart smart' grocery list

(NC) – Nowadays it seems people are looking for more quick, easy, and effective ways to adjust their daily routines and diets towards healthier living. One option is to incorporate more “smart foods” that not only help maintain a healthy weight, but also keep hunger at bay. Consuming just a handful of almonds – a heart-healthy and tasty snack – can be the solution for you.

Halifax-based registered dietitian, Pam Lynch offers a few good reasons to add almonds to your grocery list next time you’re shopping for nutritious foods and considering ways to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Stave off hunger

• When we don’t feel full, we tend to consume more calories than our bodies need, which can lead to weight gain. According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, being overweight can increase the risk factors for developing heart disease. Almonds are a good source of fibre (3.5 g), protein (6 g) and monounsaturated fat, all which can help keep you satisfied.
• According to a study conducted by Purdue University, participants found their daily almond snack to be very filling, so they decreased their caloric intake at other times of the day and did not gain weight.

Get heart smart

• Replace “bad” fats, or saturated fat, with “good” fats, or unsaturated, in your diet. One 28 g serving of almonds – about 23 or a handful – has 13g of unsaturated fat and only 1g of saturated fat. Heart- smart almonds deliver a dose of monounsaturated fats, the good kind found in avocados and olive oil.
• Almonds can help you maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Nine clinical studies to date indicate that almonds have the potential to maintain cholesterol levels as part of a diet low in saturated fat.
• A study by researchers at King’s College in London discovered that whole almonds can play a role in heart health by lowering plasma triglyceride levels, an established risk factor for developing heart disease.

Roasted zucchini with almonds & olives

Roasted ribbons of fresh zucchini, savory olives, flavourful garlic, sweet basil and crunchy almonds as a heart-healthy side dish, or atop pasta or rice.

Makes: 4 side-dish servings

Ingredients:

• 3 small zucchini, sliced thin
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) green olives, chopped roughly
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) almonds, chopped roughly
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh basil, chopped roughly

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F (200ºC). Using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini lengthwise into long, thin strips and put in a medium-sized bowl. Add salt and allow zucchini to sit for 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Arrange in a single layer in an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Serve as a side dish or atop pasta with marinara sauce.

• Calories 116 kcals Cholesterol 0 mg
• Total fat 10.6 g Fibre 2 g
• Saturated 1.3 g Calcium 34 mg
• Monounsaturated 7.4 g Magnesium 33 mg
• Polyunsaturated 1.5 g Sodium 1237 mg
• Carb 5 g Potassium 286 mg
• Protein 2 g Vitamin E 3 mg

Recipe courtesy of the Almond Board of California. For more almond information, eating tips and easy recipes visit www.AlmondBoard.com.

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