Gina Sunderland is an almond nut. Ever since the Winnipeg dietitian read about the nutritional value of this ancient fruit, she has been hooked.
"I keep a little tin of almonds in the car when I am driving home mid-to late afternoon," she says. "I know I am going to be starving when I get home so I dashboard dine on them en route."
It's hard to believe that a 30 gram (1 oz) serving of almonds will satisfy someone but recent studies have shown that they help satiate the appetite and prevent overeating.
Sunderland works with clients on a one-to-one basis at her Winnipeg clinic.
"They are concerned about their weight and are always looking for something to provide a lot of satisfaction," she says. "And it's always a bonus if it provides good nutritional value."
The trend to 100 calorie snacks, introduced about a year ago by chocolate bar manufacturers, as well as makers of little graham crackers and cookies, has been a mixed break for consumers, says Sunderland.
"However, they are often left feeling unsatisfied in that they are still hungry and can often go on to the next 100 calorie portion or the next."
Almonds, which are portable, provide a "huge amount of fullness and also a phenomenal nutritional package," she says.
And although a 30 gram (1 oz) serving (23 almonds) contains 164 calories "we don't tend to get all those calories because the high amount of fibre blocks the absorption of some of the fat. So people aren't gaining weight."
It's easy to keep almond snacks in the car, briefcase, purse or desk drawer, and Sunderland says that eaten slowly they "can sure help."
"If you have a 45 minute or more commute and it's that time when everything comes undone, you walk into your house from work and supper is not ready and you are starving, that's when you grab a bag of cookies or potato chips," she says.
"But if you have eaten those almonds you are in a far better negotiating place."
On a nutritional level, almonds contain vitamin E, magnesium, fibre, calcium, monounsaturated fat, protein, potassium, phosphorous and iron.
And eating a handful of almonds a day may lower LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. In a clinical trial published in the American journal Circulation, men and women who ate one 30 gram (1 oz) serving of almonds for a month lowered their LDL cholesterol by 4.4 per cent.
Sunderland says another bonus is that almonds, unlike most nuts, have a lengthy shelf life and don't go rancid.
She has also discovered that almond butter, which is readily available in health food stores and some supermarkets, is as good as peanut butter for satiety.
"And a little can make a great vinaigrette for salads or can be mixed into sauces or baked goods like cookies."
Another product on the market is almond flour which is an alternative to gluten for those suffering celiac disease or other digestive disorders.
"It's also a wonderful sauce thickener and adds all kinds of flavour," says Sunderland. "Sometimes when I am cooking for my father who has celiac disease, I use a combination of almond and rice flour and the texture is great in cookies and cakes."
For more information on the benefits and for recipes for almonds, go to www.AlmondsAreIn.com
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Judy Creighton welcomes letters at 9 Kinnell St., Hamilton, Ont. L8R 2J8, but cannot promise to answer all correspondence personally. She can also be reached by e-mail at jcreighton(at)golden.net