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  What one food can be sweet, savory, and delicious, yet fit into every diet plan from Atkins to Weight Watchers? Almonds fit the bill, and are even good for your heart! Good for you! Almonds are a good source of calcium, magnesium, protein, phosphorus, folic acid, fiber, iron, and zinc. They also contain phytochemicals which have been shown to protect against heart disease and cancer! A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on men and women with normal cholesterol levels, showed that a high almond diet decreased total cholesterol, reduced LDL, and improved HDL levels. Another study published in the American Heart Association�s journal, Circulation, showed that in a clinical study of people with elevated cholesterol, almonds significantly lowered bad cholesterol levels. Enjoy! Almonds are very versatile and can be included in casseroles, desserts, snacks or even ground and used as flour. Fits in any diet! Almonds contain good fats, are low in carbs and sugars, and contain fiber. If you follow the South Beach Diet, you can have up to 15 almonds per day. Do you belong to Weight Watchers? One serving of almonds (28 almonds) contains 4 points. Do you follow a low carb way of life, such as Atkins? Almonds are not only enjoyed whole, but can be ground and used as flour for many dishes! Sugar Busters? Almonds have just one gram of sugar per serving. Extends your life! Almonds have recently been in the news as a component in the new Polymeal. Never heard of it? The Polymeal is a heart healthy meal with a Mediterranean influence. Researchers have found that consuming the ingredients of the Polymeal every day can reduce your risks of heart disease by about 70%, and extend your life by 5 years or more! The Polymeal contains fish, red wine, fruits and vegetables, garlic, dark chocolate, and almonds!
Almond flour is simply ground, blanched almonds. You can make it yourself if you have a good food processor. It is best to grind in small batches, until almonds are evenly powdered. Fresh almond flour has better flavor and is always pure. Almond flour is a popular ingredient in low carb cooking and can replace wheat flour in whole or in part, in many recipes. Almond butter is just like peanut butter, but made from ground almonds. Read the labels carefully and choose an all natural nut butter that does not have sugar added. Almonds are grown around the world, in Italy, the Middle East, Spain, and Greece. However, 75% of the world's supply of almonds is grown in California. The 2004-2005 crop year was estimated to produce 1.08 billion pounds of almond nut meats.
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