If you’re like many of us, then you simply don’t have the time to make a healthy and nutritious breakfast in the morning. But breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is what sets the tone of the day. It provides you with energy and can help you not overeat later on. It can even help you make healthier choices throughout your day by stabilizing your blood sugar, reducing unhealthy cravings.
Well, if you don’t have time for a full-on breakfast, make sure you’re at least grabbing a handful of almonds to snack on. Eating almonds in the morning has been found to regulate blood sugar along with reducing cholesterol levels.
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The study looked at college students who either snacked on graham crackers or almonds for breakfast. Both foods caused a reduction in cholesterol and better blood sugar control, but almonds had a far greater impact than the crackers.
Furthermore, those who consumed almonds also experienced greater improvements in glucoregulatory and cardiometabolic health indicators such as lower insulin resistance.
Benefits of Almonds
Aside from helping to lower your cholesterol and improving glucose levels, almonds can offer a wide variety of benefits that make them such a great snack to keep handy. Almonds provide healthy fats, provide magnesium, copper, and vitamin E, boosts blood circulation, regularizes digestion, and aids in weight loss.
The great things about almonds are that you don’t need to prepare them in a fancy way. You can simply grab a handful and enjoy. But if you do want to spice up how you eat options, try this recipe.
Green Olive and Almond Spread
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Ingredients:
- ½ cup pitted briny green olives
- ¼ cup Marcona almonds – or other varieties – toasted
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Directions:
Combine olives, almonds, tarragon, and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add EVOO in a steady stream and process until the oil is absorbed. The spread should have a coarse but spreadable texture. Let stand for 30 minutes for flavors to develop and enjoy!
Also read:
- How much cholesterol should you have a day?
- Natural cholesterol reducers: Alternative foods and therapies to lower cholesterol
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
