#5: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth

This is day five of our education of the 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. Woo Hoo! Some of these you won't be surprised by, some you will. I'll take one out of each food group each day to mix it up a bit.

All information is from the book by jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth".

Day 5: Almonds/Almond Butter

Almonds are our oldest cultivated nut and one of the great foods of all time. And to think, not so long ago they were avoided by "health-concious" consumers because of their fat content. We've come a long way, baby!

*Eaten in moderation, almonds help with weight loss
* Research shows that almonds reduce heart disease risk
* a study showed a 5.3 to 7.2% decrease in total cholesterol and a 6.8 to 10% reduction in bad cholesterol (LDL) in subjects who had high cholesterol to begin with.
* 70% of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated far which has heart-health benefits beyond the reduction of cholesterol
* contains 6g of protein in an ounce
* 3g of fiber in an ounce
* 80mg of calcium in an ounce
* contains phosphorus
* contains vitamin E
* excellent source of magnesium
* virtually no carbohydrates

RECOMMENDATION FOR HOW TO EAT:
One ounce of almonds (or a smear of almond butter) together with a piece of fruit like an apple makes a great snack and is one of my five favorite "preworkout" snakcs. (The almond butter also goes great smeared on a few sticks of celery.) Total calories for either snack is reasonable (about 250), and the nutrient density is terrific

WORTH KNOWING:
ou can make a great "milk" out of almonds and water. Throw a few tablespoonds of organice almonds into a blender with a cup of bottled water, and you're good to go. if you need it sweeter, use some raw unfiltered honey, or some powdered Xylitol (available at www.jonnybowden.com).