World Health Day 2020: 3 Reasons You Must Add Almond To Your Diet For A Healthier You!

Every year, World Health Day is celebrated as a campaign to generate awareness around diverse health themes that are important for the overall growth and development of people across the world. With this year’s World Health Day’s theme centered on ‘Universal health coverage (UHC)’, it brings attention to a key concern that many people in the world face. As governments and organisations come together to ensure people and communities everywhere have access to quality health services, without suffering financial hardship, it is also important for us to contribute to better health for our families and ourselves.

This World Health Day 2020, being celebrated on April 7, take charge of your health by incorporating small yet impactful changes to your lifestyle. 

A good way to start this is by making informed food choices and snacking right. Nuts like almonds are a source of 15 nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, protein, riboflavin, zinc, etc. Beyond this, almonds are known to provide several health benefits and here are 3 key reasons you should add them to your diet today: 

Health Benefits Of Almonds – 

1. Almonds for heart health 

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a collective of various kinds of heart ailments, strokes and diseases of blood vessels nourishing the limbs. They have become a major cause of mortality globally, as well as in India. One of the main reasons for this is the inconsistent lifestyle that many Indians follow, including not getting enough physical activity, over-indulgence in sweet and fried snacks, and following a diet high in saturated fats, trans fat and cholesterol. A review by a panel of Indian nutrition and cardiovascular experts, published in the journal Nutrients, suggests that daily inclusion of almonds as part of a healthy diet may help reduce dyslipidemia, one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease among Indians.

According to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers estimated that for every 30 grams increase (approximately 1 serving) of almonds consumed daily, an estimated 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk score was reduced by 3.5%.”

Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi, Ritika Samaddar said, “In order to manage cardiovascular diseases, we need to focus on our diet choices as well as our lifestyles. Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent chronic diseases and long-term illnesses. While eating, it is very important to take stock of our cholesterol levels and make efforts to lower total and LDL cholesterol, for better heart health. A small yet significant step that we can take is increasing the consumption of foods that are rich in monounsaturated fats like almonds in place of foods with highly saturated fats.” 

(Also Read: Almond Benefits – 10 Reasons to Snack on These Nutty Delights)

2. Almonds shown to improve overall skin health 

Our skin health is largely determined by a number of factors – the lifestyle we follow, the food we eat and the constant change in the environment. In the long run, these factors might lead to various skin diseases including acne, premature ageing and skin pigmentation. That said, to maintain a perfect skin, we tend to apply various cosmetic products. What we don’t realise is that these are only short-lived solutions, and a healthy skin requires daily intake of foods that are nutrient-rich. According to published Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani texts, almonds are good for skin health and can help in enhancing skin glow. Additionally, a new pilot study by researchers at the University of California, Davis found that a daily snack of almonds in place of other nut-free snacks improved measures of wrinkle width and severity in postmenopausal women.

(Also Read: 5 Nuts That Are A Must For Healthy And Glowing Skin)

3. Almonds may help in weight management

Obesity is slowly becoming a serious medical condition across the globe, and in India, in particular. It is also associated with several related conditions including high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar. Having a sedentary lifestyle and following an improper diet are some of the major factors contributing to this.  According to a recent study, in addition to significantly improving HDL cholesterol, snacking on almonds also reduced central adiposity (belly fat) and waist circumference, all well-established heart disease risk factors.

Healthy living takes practice, preparation and commitment but, in the end it’s worth it! This World Health Day, let’s pledge to stay healthy.
 

(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)