Reduce risk of heart disease by replacing America’s favorite foods with almonds or almond butter!

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Peanut butter sandwiches are America second favorite sandwich, behind ham!  Companies behind both Jif and Skippy peanut butter are making plans to expand in order to meet the U.S. demand.  Seventy-five percent of U.S. households purchase peanut butter each year.(1)

Many households use peanut butter for more than just sandwiches.  You can rub peanut butter on a cloth to remove price stickers from books.  People also use peanut butter to clean leather, remove chewing gum and as shaving cream.(2)

Studies show almond butter is better for you than peanut butter!

While peanut butter is popular, almond butter may be a healthier alternative.  Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, similar to the fats found in olive oil.  These fats are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.  The Nurses Health Study, the Iowa Health Study, the Adventist Health Study and the Physicians Health Study all reported that the consumption of nuts is connected to a lower risk of heart disease.(3)

Replacing saturated fats found in meat and dairy with equal amount almonds reduces risk of heart disease by 45 percent!

The Nurses Health Study recommends that substituting nuts for the same amount of carbohydrates in the average diet can reduce risk of heart disease by 30 percent.  The same study found that this risk reduction increases to 45 percent when replacing saturated fats found in meat and dairy with nuts. (3)

Another study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that when foods that are individually known to lower cholesterol are combined with health eating, the beneficial effects increase.  In the study, 12 patients with elevated LDL cholesterol consumed a diet that contained almonds, soy protein, and soluble fiber.  The maximal reduction of LDL cholesterol was seen after two weeks! (3)

Almonds also protect agains diabetes, reducing increase of blood sugar and providing antioxidants to remove free radicals!

Almonds are also a great source in antioxidant, vitamin E.  Almonds not only protect against cardiovascular disease, but also protect against diabetes.  Studies show that almonds not only decrease after meal increase in blood sugar but also provide antioxidants to clean up free radicals. (3)

Sources included:

(1) http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2013/02/peanut_butter_is_americans_sec.html

(2) https://www.phactual.com/7-interesting-facts-about-our-favorite-food-peanut-butter/

(3) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20

Lynn Griffith
Lynn is a licensed therapist who enjoys cooking, creativity and enjoys helping other's learn how to care for their minds and bodies through healthy eating.  Lynn has wrote for The Raw Food World News and is currently in the process of building her own website focused on managing mental health through nutrition and wellness.