Almond Butter, Flour, Whole with Skin, Milk and Sliced Almonds. Photo: California Almond Board

By Dana Perkiss and Elana Beckett

For everyone out there who thinks he or she knows food, answer this: What seed of a fruit grows on a tree, is high in fat content, and lowers cholesterol? Yes, a healthy, high fat content snack.

And it gets better; this food also lowers the risk of heart disease.

The answer to these questions may surprise you: It’s almonds.

Seed of the almond fruit

When we talk about almonds, we are actually talking about the seed of the almond fruit, which is a fruit encased in a green shell that has a huge seed in it, like a cherry or a peach. The tree buds pink and white flowers.

Nutritional wallop

Creamy Almond Butter and Honey Apple Dip from Almonds Every Which Way cookbook

Almonds contain vitamin E, copper, magnesium, protein, and healthy unsaturated fatty acids. Vitamin E and magnesium help the body fight sicknesses. Magnesium also keeps bones strong. According to some research, magnesium may decrease the chance of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. The fat content in almonds contributes to lowering the risk of heart disease.

According to BMC Medicine, people who eat nuts, including almonds, decrease their chances of dying from cancer and cardiovascular disease. Not to mention, almonds are gluten free and contain fiber- fewer fiber bars in anyone’s life is a plus!

In addition, almonds may also help prevent colon cancer, according to the Department of Nutrition at University of California, Davis, which research was published in Cancer Letters.

People who snack on almonds on a regular basis not only have a decreased chance of dying from heart disease and cancer, but they are also able to more easily manage their weight because almonds are satisfying and healthy — a hard combination to find. Eating almonds can be an easy way to start (or continue) eating healthily.

Celebs go for almonds

The health benefits of almonds have attracted the attention of celebs. Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and presidential candidate, has been trimming his waistline and almonds are one of his go-to snacks.

Jennifer Aniston blends chocolate almond milk and almonds, among other ingredients like cherries, mineral drops, bananas, and blueberries.

Almond Flour. Photo: Diamond Almond Growers

The many forms of almonds

Almonds can be purchased in a variety of forms, from the whole dried almond, chopped and slivered, to almond milk, flour, oil and butter.

Almonds in flour and oil are also a great way to sneak the healthy food into your diet. Almond flour can be used in cookies, bread, muffins, brownies, scones, and cakes, and can also be used to dredge fish, chicken, and pork.

Blue Diamond Almonds Global Ingredients Division has recently introduced three types of almond flour: extra fine, extra fine blanched, and fine blanched. The extra fine almond flour is comparable to blanched flour and gives off a light tan color. The texture of the extra fine blanched is perfect for cookies, breads, muffins, brownies, scones, and cakes.

“Almond flour is nutritiously superior to other processed flours,” said Bill Morecraft, Blue Diamond Global Ingredients Division, noting that each quarter cup serving contains six grams of protein, 3.5 grams of fiber and 75 mg of calcium. “Additionally, almond flour is low on the glycemic index, is naturally gluten-free and a great food source of antioxidant Vitamin E.”

If you want that classic golden brown look to your food, then try the fine blanched almond flour.