The American Heart Association (AHA) has certified almonds with its signature Heart-Check mark to signify that they are a heart-healthy food. This symbol is the most consumer-trusted nutrition icon appearing on packaged foods—in fact, one study found that more than half of shoppers use the mark as a deciding factor when choosing to purchase a new product. Consumers can now easily identify almonds as a smart choice for their heart health.
“Nutrition research has long supported the heart health benefits of almonds,” says registered dietician Jenny Heap, health professional marketing manager for the Almond Board of California. “Now consumers will be able to more easily identify almonds in the supermarket as a heart-smart food, helping take the guess work out of shopping.”
Two decades of almond research to date has been recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) showing that the crunchy nut’s nutrient profile supports healthy heart functions, with more studies being undertaken to support these findings every year. According to the FDA, “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ozs. per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Almond lovers have been savvy for some time to the nut’s heart-healthy status, particularly when compared to other nuts. According to a 2011 consumer survey, almonds are the nut selected most often—at more than 40 percent of respondents—as “the nut that is a good snack and helps my heart,” a significant 29 percent ahead of other nuts. That same survey showed that men are particularly interested in almonds’ heart-healthy attributes, such as being completely cholesterol-free.
In each 1-oz. serving, or about a handful, almonds provide 6g of protein, 13g of good unsaturated fat, only 1g of saturated fat, are naturally cholesterol-free, and contain fiber (3.5g), calcium (75mg), vitamin E (7.4mg), riboflavin (0.3mg) and niacin (1mg), all of which contribute to a healthy heart.