Almond For Weight Loss: Include These Three Almond-Based Recipes In Your Diet To Manage Weight

Crunchy, nutty and absolutely delicious, almonds are a treasure trove of essential nutrients. You may remember your mother constantly reminding you of eating a handful of soaked almonds every morning because it is believed to increase brain memory. And while we may have taken it lightly back then, we now realise its importance. The array of nutritional benefits that almond brings with itself is exciting enough to add in your diet. There is nothing like adding a little crunch to every dish we make. Be it thick shakes, juicy salads or decadent desserts like kheer, almonds simply take the taste quotient a notch higher.

Almond Benefits

Almonds are known to be rich in nutrients like magnesium, vitamin E and copper along with being a good source of dietary fibre too. It is advised by health experts to consume soaked almonds. According to a Delhi-based weight management expert, Dr. Gargi Sharma, the peel of almond contains tannins, an element that obstructs nutrient absorption in the body; it is better to consume soaked almonds. It gets easy to peel off the covering when almonds are soaked and moist. "Soaking almonds release the enzyme lipase, which is beneficial for digestion of fats", she said.

(Also Read:Almond Benefits: 10 Reasons to Snack on These Nutty Delights)

Let's look at the many health benefits of eating almonds:

1. Supports Brain, Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems: The presence of minerals, zinc, magnesium, potassium, antioxidants and vitamin E aids the body in brain, cardiovascular and respiratory movements, as per the book Healing Foods by DK Publishing House.

2. Blood Sugar Levels: The high fibre content helps in normalising the blood sugar levels.

3. Diabetes Management: Presence of fibre enables a slow release of sugar in the bloodstream and due to its low glycaemic index, almonds take time to get digested and metabolise, which enables gradual release of sugars, thus managing the sugar levels.

4. Aids Weight Loss: Almonds are a great source of plant-protein that helps keep you satiated for long, which further helps regulate the hunger hormone ghrelin and keeps a check on cravings. The dietary fibre in almonds helps facilitate digestion which is key to weight loss.

While there are innumerable benefits of almonds, one of the key benefits is its ability to promote weight loss. Almonds, when eaten in the right quantity, can do wonders in shedding extra weight. According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, almonds may help you shed those extra pounds. It was found that people eating a diet rich in almonds lost more weight than those on a high-carb diet with the same number of calories. One can include almonds for weight loss in multiple ways in different courses.

There can be a number of ways to add almonds to your diet and we've got you covered with some of the best ones to try at home.

Here are 3 almond-based recipes to prepare at home:

1. Broccoli And Almond Soup

Packed with the goodness of both almond and broccoli, this soup is a wonderfully healthy dish to savour in the evening. Packed with multiple benefits of broccoli along with almonds, this is an easy and quick recipe to prepare at home.

2. Almond Granola Bar

Made with whole wheat flour, oats, almonds and a mix of dry fruits and other nuts, almond granola bar can satisfy those odd-hour hunger pangs. This crunchy and nutty bar will keep you satiated for long.

(Also Read: Weight Loss-Friendly Breakfast Recipe: Make Fibre And Protein-Rich Toasted Almond Granola (Video))

3. Banana And Almond Porridge

With oats, chia seeds and almonds, this porridge is a wonderful breakfast option to prepare at home. It also has the goodness of dates, cinnamon and saffron.

A healthy and sustainable weight loss journey needs dedication and patience, which means that you also need to indulge in regular exercises, eat a healthy and balanced diet and ensure a healthy lifestyle.