In this Post & Video I am going to do the nutritional analysis of almonds.
Almonds are seeds though they are often referred to as nuts. Almonds are packed with nutrients & energy.
Now let us get into the nutritional analysis of almonds.
Carbohydrate content of almonds
As per USDA FoodData Central 21.6% of the total composition of almonds is carbohydrate. This level of carbohydrate content is quite less compared to staple foods that most of us eat across the world.
For example uncooked rice contains close to 80% carbohydrate content. Other cereals such as wheat contains 71% & corn contains 74.3% carbohydrate content.
A whopping 12.5% of almonds is dietary fibre. We can say that almonds are an excellent source of dietary fibre.
A mere 4.4% of almonds is sugars. In general, breakfast cereals contain close to 10% sugar content.
Consider subscribing to our YouTube channel
Share this page
Fat content of almonds
Almonds contain close to 50% fat. This is the most prevalent ingredient in almonds and it makes them very rich in their calorie count.
The quantity of fat in almonds is very high but, at the same time even the quality of fat is also excellent. Close to 63% of the total fatty acids present in the almonds are monounsaturated fats. They are quite healthy.
The saturated fat present in almonds is merely 7.6%. It is quite a low amount.
Protein content of almonds
As you can see in the table almonds are a good source of protein. Close to 21% of almonds is protein. They can be a very good source of protein especially for vegetarians and vegans.
One ounce of almonds provide 6 grams of protein. Though the quality of the protein in almonds is not comparable to some of the other protein sources such as soy, peanut and animal proteins, it is of moderately good quality.
100 grams of almonds contain 579 Cal or 2423 KJ of energy.
It is recommended to consume one ounce of nuts daily. One ounce (i.e., 28.3 grams) of almonds provide us 164 Cal or 686 KJ of energy.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Let us look at the micronutrients such as vitamins & minerals present in the almonds.
Almonds are rich sources of some vitamins & minerals.
Almonds are an exceptionally good source of vitamin E which is a fat soluble vitamin. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that can protect our cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are formed when we are exposed to the UV rays in the sunlight, pollution and when we are under extreme physical or mental stress.
One ounce of almonds provide close to 50% of the daily required amount of vitamin E.
Almonds are moderately good sources of riboflavin (i.e., vitamin B2) and minerals such as Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus and Zinc.
Water constitutes just around 4% of almonds.
Conclusion
Almonds are nutrient and energy dense foods that are healthy when consumed in strict moderation.
One of the greatest advantages of them is that they are ready to eat foods. They can be an excellent replacement for high sugar, high fat and salty snacks.
Consumption of an ounce i.e. 28 grams of almonds a day is recommended by health authorities.
I would personally suggest you to consume these nuts for their nutrient quality and to add variation to your daily diet.
Leave a Reply