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What Is the Almond Diet?
The almond diet is a diet that includes almonds as a method of losing or gaining weight. There are dozens of variations, but a common misconception is that an almond diet consists of eating only almonds. Depending on the variation, the diet might consist of eating non-red meats, plenty of vegetables, and whole grains in addition to almonds. The benefits of eating almonds on a regular basis include lower blood pressure, healthier weight, and a reduced risk of developing heart disease. It is generally advisable to consult a health professional before making any diet changes.
While there is no official almond diet, many people have created their own versions to follow. Some people use almonds to lose weight, while others use almonds to gain weight. No healthy diet consists of eating only almonds because humans need a wide variety of foods to be healthy. In addition, most health professionals advise against eating more than two handfuls of almonds per day. This is because, while almonds are healthy in small amounts on a regular basis, they have fats and calories that can be excessive when eaten in large quantities.
A healthy almond diet consists of eating a variety of vegetables and other foods in addition to the nuts. Humans also need to drink plenty of fluids to easily pass the extra fiber they get from eating a lot of almonds. Eating healthfully alone will not make an unhealthy person healthy, however. Moderate exercise is also needed on a daily basis.
The almond diet has many good qualities, such as the ability to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Some studies report an improvement in peoples’ complexion and less risk of cancer. Many benefits of almonds have not been scientifically proved, but only suggested by studies. On the other hand, the proven benefits of almonds usually outweigh the risks of consumption. An exception is if a person has a nut allergy or intolerance to nuts, which can be fatal.
It is usually a good idea to ask a doctor before making drastic changes to a diet. This is especially true for people who have health problems like diabetes and need to follow a special diet. A doctor may have suggestions on how to better the diet, or he or she may warn against the diet for health reasons. For example, some diets are merely trends and are not always the healthiest.
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![A variety of vegetables may be consumed during the almond diet.]()
By: marucyanA variety of vegetables may be consumed during the almond diet. -
![Eating almonds on a regular basis may help lower blood pressure.]()
By: Africa StudioEating almonds on a regular basis may help lower blood pressure. -
![Eating almonds on a regular basis may help prevent heart disease.]()
By: trioceanEating almonds on a regular basis may help prevent heart disease. -
![Shelled and whole almonds.]()
By: ElenathewiseShelled and whole almonds. -
![Almonds.]()
By: Dmitry RukhlenkoAlmonds.
Discussion Comments
My sister lost 20 pounds with this diet in about a year. She actually never ate too much at meals even before dieting but she used to eat a lot of junk foods, sugary and salty foods between meals which was the problem.
After she started her almond diet, every time she felt a craving for junk food, she ate a couple of raw almonds instead. I think she had two or three handfuls in the beginning but over time, her cravings decreased so she now has about one handful.
It's really amazing and I'm recommending it to everyone. I've recently started doing this as well. I don't need to lose weight, but I could afford to eat healthier.
@turquoise-- I agree with you, but the same goes for everything. Too much of anything is bad.
I'm doing an almond diet as well, but I have 5 almonds per day and that as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. I've limited fats and carbohydrates from my diet otherwise and eat lots of vegetables, beans and whole grains. I've lost ten pounds so far and it's going really great.
Maybe we need to stop referring to diets as 'almond diet' or 'mango diet' because it's confusing. It makes it sound like a fad diet where only almonds or only mangoes are eaten. But just like the article said, you can't lose weight eating only one type of food. Almonds are just a healthy addition to a diet, it's not the diet itself.
I heard about the almond diet from a doctor on TV. She said to replace bread and other carbohydrates with almonds to lose weight. I started doing that and after 3-4 days, not only did I gain a few pounds, but I also had a horrible acne breakout.
I was definitely eating more than two handfuls of almonds a day though which was a bad idea. On the up side, I did feel fuller longer and ate less of other foods.
I think the almond diet works, but the less almonds you eat, the better. I think a handful per day is probably a good amount to get extra fiber and protein. But overdoing it backfires and causes weight gain.
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