Almonds Recommended

Blue Diamond Growersnt article in the January/February 1999 edition of Natural Health magazine recommended almonds as a cholesterol-lowering addition to the diet. The article sites a study by Dr. Gene Spiller, director of the Health Research and Studies Center in Los Altos, California, that fed almonds to men and women with elevated cholesterol levels. His study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, showed that almonds helped lower total cholesterol by seven to ten percent and LDL (bad) cholesterol by as much as 14 percent, while the level of HDL (good) cholesterol was unaffected.

The article acknowledges that, while nutrition counselors have cautioned against eating almonds because of their high fat content, the message has changed. Quoting Christine Palumbo, adjunct professor of nutrition at Benedictine University, the author writes:

"We now know that 90 percent of the fat in almonds in mono or poly-unsaturated, heart-healthy fat, and therefore a positive dietary component."

Pointing out the powerful mix of nutrients and fiber in almonds, the article recommends that people interested in good nutrition and lowering their cholesterol add almonds to their diet.

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