Almonds and Calories - Worth It?

VaTechM3
VaTechM3 Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
I've been reading a lot about eating nuts as a healthy snack. I really like almonds and have been getting plain, dry roasted, unsalted almonds from the fresh market. They're quite tasty!

I just added my snack of them (which I haven't eaten all of yet) of probably 2oz of almonds, which to me doesn't seem like a lot, and came out with approximately 340 calories.

While the 10grams of extra protein is nice, I could just eat a protein bar, save 100calories, and get an extra ~20grams of protein.

Does it really make sense to use almonds as a snack if you're trying to eat at a deficit, they don't seem like a very good "bang for your buck: food option...

Am I missing anything?
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Replies

  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
    I eat them constanty. I even have a jar next to my bed (don't judge me! lol).
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    i love nuts.
    special nuts
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    I eat them quite often; I just weight out an oz, otherwise I will eat ALL of them. :) I think they're delicious and worth it.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It really depends on you and how they fit into your day. If you don't feel like they're worth it then don't eat them. Done.
  • Sweetestthing87
    Sweetestthing87 Posts: 276 Member
    I enjoy almonds but agree with you that the calorie count is not quite worth it. I sometimes grab the 100 cal pack but it seems almost pointless once you open the pouch and it is like 8 pieces. LOL
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    I was having problems getting enough calories in my day, so the almonds were a great choice. The fat is a little higher than I would like .. but oh well. Overall .. they are not a bad choice.

    I usually weigh out 3 oz .... so a little less than a cup.
  • jessannprice
    jessannprice Posts: 183 Member
    Depends on what you want to put in your body.. some people believe not all calories are created equal..


    Almonds = all natural, unprocessed, healthy fats and some protein..


    I consider half an ounce a good snack size for me.. just to hold me over between meals.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    Step one:

    Figure out if you like almonds by putting one in your mouth, do you like it? If the answer is no, don't move on to step two.

    Step two:

    Eat more almonds


    If you like something, eat it!!!!
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
    I love the way they taste, but one reasonable serving doesn't fill me up so I usually opt for something else as a snack.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    One ounce of almonds (~160-170 calories) can be surprisingly satisfying for me. I get the whole almonds because they take longer to chew up than slivers or pieces. They don't "fill me up," but I'm usually just looking for a snack to tide me over, and they accomplish that.

    Protein, healthy fats, satisfying crunch … to me, it's worth it. (FWIW, that would be about 10% of my daily calorie allowance. Still worth it!)
  • CeeCeeMee
    CeeCeeMee Posts: 356 Member
    I guess it would depend on what kind of almonds you are eating. Are the honey roasted or the like? Is there any sodium added on?

    I love my Blue Diamond Whole Natural almonds to get me through the afternoon slump. I actually count out 14 nuts per serving, which is considered 1/2 ounce, at only 80 calories, 105 potassium and 3g protein. Plus, no sodium added on!!

    So, going by the estimate on my can, 2 oz would be about 56 nuts and 320 calories. But since the 14 is more than enough to me, maybe look at smaller portions. I do find that the 80 calories is a good "bang for my buck" as you say.

    Yeah, you could have a protein bar for less calories, but what else is in it that you might not want/need in your body?
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    I love almonds and I agree that they're a lovely healthy snack but I have portion control problems with them. I'll weigh out 30g, eat them, think, "That wasn't many", weigh out another 30g, etc. by the time I've finished I have to go to the gym for an hour! I now avoid them unless they're in indovidual serving packs.
  • KeViN_v2pt0
    KeViN_v2pt0 Posts: 375 Member
    I've been reading a lot about eating nuts as a healthy snack. I really like almonds and have been getting plain, dry roasted, unsalted almonds from the fresh market. They're quite tasty!

    I just added my snack of them (which I haven't eaten all of yet) of probably 2oz of almonds, which to me doesn't seem like a lot, and came out with approximately 340 calories.

    While the 10grams of extra protein is nice, I could just eat a protein bar, save 100calories, and get an extra ~20grams of protein.

    Does it really make sense to use almonds as a snack if you're trying to eat at a deficit, they don't seem like a very good "bang for your buck: food option...

    Am I missing anything?

    Yes. You dont seem to comprehend that fat is not the devil. The End.

    ETA: Last week one of my day's macro breakdown was:

    63% FAT
    6% Carbs
    31% Protein

    P.S. Please send me all your leftover almonds. They are not only delicious they are kinda expensive. Thanks
  • jdaley90
    jdaley90 Posts: 259 Member
    If you like the taste and IIFYM why wouldn't you eat them??? You could say eating a donut or pretzels isn't worth the calories either. Almonds are a great natural source of healthy fats too :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I've been reading a lot about eating nuts as a healthy snack. I really like almonds and have been getting plain, dry roasted, unsalted almonds from the fresh market. They're quite tasty!

    I just added my snack of them (which I haven't eaten all of yet) of probably 2oz of almonds, which to me doesn't seem like a lot, and came out with approximately 340 calories.

    While the 10grams of extra protein is nice, I could just eat a protein bar, save 100calories, and get an extra ~20grams of protein.

    Does it really make sense to use almonds as a snack if you're trying to eat at a deficit, they don't seem like a very good "bang for your buck: food option...

    Am I missing anything?

    They are extraordinary nutritious...they especially good for your ticker. When I was trying to resolve some ticker issues, my dr and dietitian really pushed the almonds as well as things like avocado...heart all better now. yes, they are calorie dense...but extremely nutrient dense as well...beyond just a little protein. it's all about the heart healthy, heart saving fat in them that really go a long way in improving HDL levels...that's why I ate them and continue to make room for them in my diet. I only ever had about an ounce per day when losing and no more than 1/2 an avocado per day...at maintenance I usually have a couple ounces of almonds pretty routinely.
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
    I eat 20 almonds every day when I get home from work. It's enough to tide me over until dinner. Almonds are incredibly nutritious.
  • chemteacher1987
    chemteacher1987 Posts: 68 Member
    They are definitely worth it. They help me to stave off my hunger for a while.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    Yes!
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    I have them in my drawer at work. 10 raw almonds = 69 calories... I may grab ten for a snack, once or twice a day.

    maybe you don't need to have as much?
  • maddisonfitt
    maddisonfitt Posts: 5
    Yes! You NEED to servings of healthy fats every day like avocado, organic peanut butter, olive oil, and nuts like almonds.
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
    I LOVE almonds! I grab a handful and that's all I will eat for that day. They are expensive so a bag will last me a week. They are good and nut-ricious..see what I did there!
  • Melissa22G
    Melissa22G Posts: 847 Member
    They're delicious and filling.

    Eating 100 calories of almonds that will keep you fuller longer than a pack of raisens for the same calories.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Decent protein. Great fats. Good micronutrients (selenium, for one).

    It's worth it if you want to make it worth it. Enjoyment + nutrition is a winner, winner, chicken dinner.
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    Yes. Unprocessed, natural and delicious. They can really take the edge off when you're hungry but are in between meals. I say go for it :happy:
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Just got home and bought 2 big bags of Regular almonds and 1 bag of Cocoa Almonds from Sam's Clubs.... Eat them everyday... :drinker:
  • Gkfrkv
    Gkfrkv Posts: 120
    I don't have it as a snack by itself, but add a few to other snacks. I love the taste, and for me it's worth it as a little treat in the middle of the day.
  • FrontBoard
    FrontBoard Posts: 15
    It sounds like you are comparing apples to oranges, for lack of a better analogy. You seem to be asking "are almonds better than a protein bar for getting a bunch of protein?" In that case the almonds will not win.

    That aside, everyone else here has great points. They have a nice breakdown of fat, protein, and carbs and are very easy to portion control. Sure they may not be "filling" because they are pretty calorie dense but I find when I eat a relatively small portion when I am hungry that they do satisfy my hunger just fine.
  • LiminalAscendance
    LiminalAscendance Posts: 489 Member
    Almonds (and most -- probably all -- nuts, in general) are a great snack.

    As you noted, however, they don't give a lot of "bang for your buck."

    Personally, I'm not satisfied to eat only a handful of nuts for a snack, so I haven't fit them in recently (and if someone can eat 3-4,000 cals a day, of course they can eat pretty much whatever they want).

    I've recently been bumping my intake, in order to find the right maintenance level, so at least it looks like there's more peanut butter and nuts on the horizon.
  • Mr_Boy
    Mr_Boy Posts: 42 Member
    What's the calories per almond? Is it as horrific as peanuts because if so I find it unlikely that enough to actually stop you being hungry wouldn't be several hundred calories? I have a bag of small salted peanuts - each about the size of a pea - and I'm sure I worked out even they are something dumb like 10kCal each!!
  • VaTechM3
    VaTechM3 Posts: 13
    Thanks all for the replies, very good information.

    I just need to go back to the scale and measure things out correctly, which I was doing for a while, and now can't seem to find my scale for some reason haha.

    Anyway, I really like them as a snack, maybe I need to change my thought process around them as more of a filler between meals and not something that is going to eliminate a hunger strike between meals.

    I agree with the additional health benefits of almonds compared to a lot of other things I could be eating, but if you're really tracking calories, maybe they don't make the best sense if you're trying to lose? I guess with everything, there is a trade off so I'll just get back to portioning to keep myself on track.

    They are very easy to just pick up while walking around the house and having a few, but it seems they could quickly bust a day of calories if you aren't careful.

    Thanks for all the insight!

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