Is Almond A Nut?
Is an almond a nut ? is a very common question in the mind of some people. Also, people are puzzled is almond a nut or a dry fruit. Also, we are curious about "are almonds fattening ?".Here you will get answers related to is almond a true nut. This article will help you to know about what is almond and how it helps to improve health.
Commonly we all know almond as a nut. First of all, we should know what is a nut? A true nut is a pod that has a hard shell and contains both the fruit and the seed of a plant. The shell of true nuts is usually inedible, but the seed can be eaten.
More ever in the case of a true nut, the shell does not open to release the seed to the outer world. This is the proper definition of nuts in the eyes of botany. Examples of true nuts are hazelnuts and chestnuts. So in botany 'Nut' is a dry fruit that does not split open after maturity to release the single seed to the outside world.
 |
| Almond |
Now we should know "what is a drupe?" before knowing "is an almond a nut." In botany, drupes are kind of fruits that have a thin skin, fleshy middle part(generally edible except coconut, almond), and the third part.
In drupes, the third part contains the seed surrounded by the shell. So this is the main difference between a nut and a drupe. Examples of drupes are peach, cherries, plums.
 |
| Drupes |
In the case of almond, pistachios, walnut, and coconut there is a twist. These are also some relatives to the other drupes but with a difference. In the case of coconut, the middle part of the drupes is harsh so it can't be eaten.
In the case of almonds, the middle part of the fruit is not fleshy instead it is tough. This middle layer is not edible. Then comes the hard shell which opens, unlike the nuts to release seeds to the outer world.
This shell is called pits which contains generally one seed, at the most two or three seeds. The seed which is inside the pit is what we eat in case of almond, walnuts, etc. So, almonds are the seed of the fruits of an almond tree.
 |
| Almond fruit with seeds inside pits
So we got the answer to Is Almond A Nut? No, it is not a true nut. Because in this case the seed may be released from pits. Also, a nut is a complete dry fruit that has a hard shell and contains both the fruit and the seed of a plant.
But almond what we eat as nuts is basically the seed of the fruits of the almond tree. It is stored inside a hard shell called pits. As because the seed contains oils we confused it with nuts.
Almond, a tree native to southwestern Asia is a member of the family Rosaceae. Prunus dulcis is an economically important crop tree grown primarily in the Mediterranean. Climates between 28° and 48° N and between 20° and 40° S, with California producing nearly 80 percent of the world’s supply. There are two varieties, sweet almonds, and bitter almonds. Sweet almonds are the version we generally consume.
|
Are Almonds Fattening?
Almond is praised worldwide for its health benefits and nutrients. Nowadays it is an important part of our diets for the immense vitamins in almonds and benefits of almonds. It is known for several health benefits from ancient times.The benefits of almonds are also documented in Ayurveda. It was documented by the experts of Ayurveda that almonds have tremendous brainpower boosting capability and also good for heart, sex overall health.
Almonds are rich in fat content. Most of which are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
100 gm of almonds contains 49 gm of total fat(nearly 75% of daily required value). Out of which, saturated fat is 3.7 g, polyunsaturated fat is 12 g and monounsaturated fat is 31 g. Now the question is are almonds fattening?
The answer is almonds can be fattening if consumed in large quantities. Though almonds contain a lot of unsaturated fats still it can make you fat if consumed in larger quantities. Keep in mind they are high in calories also. But if consumed in the recommended portion it will help you to reduce weight, belly fat.
The review, funded by the Almond Board of California, states that consuming 45 gm of almonds daily can reduce symptoms of dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia is a condition in which the level of LDL(bad) cholesterol increases and the level of HDL(good) cholesterol decreases. People in India who suffer from dyslipidemia are at major risk of heart diseases.
Almonds are rich in HDL and it lowers the LDL. So it is recommended for people to consume almonds as it lowers the levels of LDL and also helps to maintain a good HDL level. For the 2015-2020 dietary guidelines for Americans, it is recommended that you consume 2 to 5 ounces of almonds per week.1 ounce of almonds is equal to 23 almonds. So this is the quantity which will help you to reduce weight rather than be fatty.
 |
| Almonds for good heart |
Almonds are enjoyed in soaked, fried, roast form. Homemade rich creamy almond milk is also full of nutrients. It is delicious in taste also. I personally love to munch a few roasted almonds in my snack.
When I start munching the 1st one, I can't restrict myself from munching one by one. It is so delicious that we Indians add almonds in the desert i.e kheer, badam milk, and porridge.
Almond Nutrition Fact:
Here are the other nutritional facts of half a cup serving of almonds other than the vitamins. The chart depicts the amount per serving and the percentage of the daily required value. Also magnesium and copper are present in almonds except for the mentioned minerals in the chart.
Amount per serving
|
%Daily Value
|
Calorie: 413
| |
Protein:15 g
|
30%
|
Carbs:14g
|
5%
|
Dietary fiber: 8g
|
34%
|
Fat: 36g
|
56%
|
TransFat: 0g
|
0%
|
Sodium: 1mg
|
0%
|
Potassium: 521mg
|
16%
|
Cholesterol: 0
|
0%
|
Iron:
|
17%
|
Calcium:
|
18%
|
Sugar: 3.5g
|
I hope now the confusion is almond a nut is now clear. You are also aware of the answers are almonds fattening.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.