Almonds are packed with protein, healthy fats, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E. You can eat almonds at any time of the day. They can support blood sugar, satiety, cholesterol levels, and heart health when eaten as part of a healthy diet.
You can eat almonds at any time of day. However, eating them at certain times may help you better achieve specific health goals, like energy, fullness, and steady blood sugar. For example:
- Breakfast: Adding almonds to breakfast can help you feel fuller for longer. They’re easy to add to cereal, yogurt, smoothies, and pancakes, or pair with eggs.
- Mid-morning or late-afternoon snack: Many people experience an energy dip in the mid-morning or late afternoon between meals. Replacing ultra-processed or sugary snacks with almonds can help control blood sugar and lower total calorie intake.
- With meals: Adding almonds to meals can boost protein, fiber, and healthy fat intake. They are an ideal addition to salads, grain bowls, or vegetable-based dishes.
- Before or after exercise: Eating almonds about an hour before exercise can give you long-lasting energy to support performance. They’re also rich in magnesium, which is needed for muscle function. You can also add them to a post-exercise meal to boost protein intake.
A 1-ounce serving (about 23 almonds) provides:
- Calories: 164 kcal
- Protein: 6.01 grams (g)
- Fat: 14.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.12 g
- Fiber: 3.54 g
- Vitamin E: 7.26 milligrams (mg), 48% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Magnesium: 76.5 mg, 18% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 136 mg, 11% of the DV
Almonds are rich in protein, healthy fats, and fiber. They also provide 48% of the Daily Value for vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage and supports heart health and the immune system.
Almonds also provide 18% of your daily needs for magnesium. Your body needs magnesium for more than 300 enzymes to function properly. It is required for many processes, including insulin production, blood pressure regulation, muscle function, and brain health.
All of these nutrients together make almonds a great snack for supporting blood sugar, satiety, blood lipid levels, and heart health.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming four to six servings of unsalted nuts per week as part of a healthy diet. Here are some ideas for adding more almonds to your diet:
- Sprinkle sliced or chopped almonds on oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt parfaits.
- Blend almonds into smoothies for extra protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Add almonds to salads, grain bowls, or stir-fries.
- Make almond butter at home to spread on toast, fruit slices, or crackers.
- Use almond butter in sauces, marinades, or salad dressings.
- Substitute almond flour for part of the regular flour in baked goods.
- Use almonds when making homemade granola or energy bars.
- Add almonds to a trail mix for a quick snack on the go.
