Almond Theft

I have a confession to make. I steal Almonds from the Kiel's buffet (my name for the bulk food aisle) without shame. I feel like because I shop there on an almost-daily basis, it gives me the right to snack at my leisure. The guys that work the produce aisle don't even bat an eye anymore when I come calling. Immoral? Perhaps. Mortifying to my wife? Absolutely. Filling? Definitely.


I also steal almonds from any buffet at any store - I don't discriminate based on location. Years ago, I used to snatch Mike and Ike's, jawbreakers, something chocolate or something else sugary and delicious. No mas. 


Why, you ask, the change in heart in my buffet pilfering choices? It's pretty simple, actually: my switch to a career as a health pro has affected my diet in some ways more than others, and snacking is one of the most impacted. And my almond theft is really just an extension of my fondness for snacking. Also, once I tried including almonds in my diet, I found that I 1) love the taste of just about any variety 2) had no idea how nutritionally dense -- and generally awesome for you -- they are. 


Anecdotally, I have to say that I have never found a food that "fills me up," in the same way as whole almonds. I can eat just a handful or so, and truly get the sense that I've eaten more. For a person that eats more than the average two people combined, this is very beneficial.


Some specific things we should all know about our friend the almond:

• They're low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients - calcium and magnesium - for strong bones; they're also high in fiber
• They're high in vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer
• They have 8 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, which is about a handful; not a fantastic source of protein, but not bad, either, considering the lack of prep time and ease of consumption
• Eating almonds helps lower LDL (the bad cholesterol), and gets the body higher amounts of antioxidants, which are awesome for many reasons

Do you have to steal them? No. Should you work some into your diet, for the reasons listed above and because they're super tasty? Probably. Dig in!

What type of almonds are your favorite? Personally, I'm a smoked kind of guy, but also enjoy the sea-salted.