Almonds! They are a great snack, make a wonderful nut butter, and almond flour offers a gluten-free alternative for baking.
Almonds are technically a seed and are in the same plant family as the peach, cherry, and apricot. People have been consuming them at least since the Roman era. They are a very good source of vitamin E (think healthy skin), manganese, biotin, and copper; and a good source of magnesium, riboflavin (B2), and phosphorus. There are actually two types of almonds: sweet and bitter. We eat the sweet almonds and the bitter almonds are used to make almond oil.
Health Benefits
- Lower LDL and reduce risk of heart disease. This is because almonds are high in monounsaturated fat, which is the same fat that is in olive oil. Vitamin E may be another contributor to heart health. The magnesium in almonds is beneficial because magnesium is nature’s own calcium channel blocker. When we have enough magnesium in our bodies, our veins and arteries are more relaxed. This in turn improves the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the body.
- Weight loss and lower risk of weight gain. Nuts, in general, help with weight control. In one study, people who ate nuts at least two times per week were much less likely to gain weight over those who ate little to no nuts.
- Fight free radical damage. The trace minerals manganese and copper in almonds are helpful at disarming free radicals within the mitochondria; this in turn can help with improving energy production.
Releasing the Nutrients
Yes, almonds are healthy, and ounce for ounce are the most nutritionally dense nut/seed we can eat. The challenge is that all nuts and seeds have a protective layer (anti-nutrients) that make them difficult for us to digest, and for some may actually cause digestive distress such as bloating and cramping. After all, the almonds wants to produce more almonds not be eaten by us or any other critter! So for us to unlock the nutrition from all nuts and seeds, we need to use a pre-digestion technique such as soaking, sprouting, or fermenting. The easiest method is soaking, but any of these techniques will neutralize the anti-nutrients. I soak nuts and seeds, then dehydrate them in my Excalibur dehydrator. I love this dehydrator because of its ease of use, temperature and time controls, and versatility. You can also use an oven for the dehydrating process, but it will tie up your oven for 12 to 24 hours. You can check out how to soak and dry almonds in the notes section of the recipe.
Once you have properly prepared your almonds, here is a great savory recipe to flavor some of the almonds. The rosemary garlic blends well with the savory taste of lard from pasture-raised pigs. Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs; I think because it smells so wonderful.
Enjoy the recipe!
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
Roasted Rosemary Garlic Almonds
Notes
How to properly prepare nuts.
Basic soak for 4 cups of raw almonds. You will need 1 to 2 cups of clean warm water (clean water doesn’t contain fluoride or chlorine so no tap water!); and 1 tablespoon of Himalayan or sea salt.
In a large bowl dissolve the salt in the warm water, add the nuts. Add more water if needed. The almonds should be covered with water. Cover the bowl with a plate or towel. The almonds should soak for between 7 and 24 hours. It will require 18 hours to remove the maximum amount of phytic acid.
After the soaking time, drain and rinse the almonds. You can either dehydrate in your oven or in a dehydrator.
Oven: You will set your oven at the lowest temperature. If your oven has a warm setting, this will work. It will take 12 to 24 hours to dehydrate. You will place the almonds on a baking sheet, spread evenly, and place in the warm oven. It is helpful to stir occasionally. Time needed to dry will depend on the size of the nuts and how long you soaked the nuts.
Dehydrator: If you want to retain the live enzymes, you will set the temperature to 105 to 118 degrees. Spread on your drying sheets. Again, it will take 12 to 24 hours depending on the nut size and how long they were soaked.
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds (properly prepared, see notes below)
- 1/2 tablespoon lard or coconut oil
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt lard (savory taste) or coconut oil (sweet taste) in a small sauce pan.
- Combine melted lard, finely chopped rosemary, and minced garlic until combined.
- Add almonds to the seasoned oil mixture; the almonds should be well coated.
- Spread the coated almonds on to the prepared baking sheet; almonds should not overlap each other. Sprinkle with salt.
- Place in the oven, roast for 20 minutes; stirring after 10 minutes. Watch closely as nuts can burn easily.
- Allow the almonds to cool.
- Enjoy.
- Leftover almonds should be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your costs will be the same but Chronicles in Health will receive a small commission. This helps cover some of the costs for this site. I appreciate your support!
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Great almonds and other nuts too, Heather!
Thank you.