Why you should eat a handful of almonds daily

Hyderabad: One might have heard about soaking almonds overnight and eating the peeled almonds in the morning to take in all nutrients. Turns out that’s a misconception a lot of people have. Peeling away the almond skin actually takes away all the fibre. “There is almost six grams of fibre you are throwing away. Eat […]

Hyderabad: One might have heard about soaking almonds overnight and eating the peeled almonds in the morning to take in all nutrients. Turns out that’s a misconception a lot of people have. Peeling away the almond skin actually takes away all the fibre. “There is almost six grams of fibre you are throwing away. Eat the almonds with the skin so you get all of its nutrients,” said Ritika Samaddar, regional head, dietetics, Max Healthcare, Delhi.

This and many other nuggets of health were discussed in the ‘Badaam Pe Charcha’ session on ‘Smart snacking and its impact on family health’, which was organised by the Almond Board of California and attended by actor Soha Ali Khan, nutrition and wellness consultant Sheela Krishnaswamy, and Ritika Samaddar.

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Soha Ali Khan, who leads a physically active lifestyle, said meals are planned in her household, and she and husband Kunal Khemu try to see the meals are balanced in nutrition. “Kunal is intermittent fasting right now and he is also vegan, but we see to it that we have lunch and dinner that’s a mix of protein, carbs and other nutrients. We do steer clear of refined flours and sugar. In fact, my daughter Inaaya and Kunal both prefer almond milk to dairy milk, and we regularly use almond flour in baking. Inaaya loves almonds, we used to shave the almonds for her since she was one,” said Soha who added that she always a carried a small box of almonds to keep her satiated when cravings come during shoot days.

Moderation is crucial with almonds too. “A handful of almonds every day is enough for our body. They are a rich source of vitamin E, magnesium, protein, riboflavin, zinc and they keep you full for a long time. During pregnancy, they are a good source of dietary fat and carbs, rich in iron, and folic acid,” said Sheela Krishnaawamy, nutrition and wellness consultant.