What are the effects and functions of almonds?

People often say that if you want a smarter brain, you should eat more nuts. Almonds are also a type of nut. So what are the functions and effects of almonds in daily life?

The benefits and effects of almonds

Apricot kernel, bitter in taste, slightly warm in nature; enters the lung and large intestine meridians. It can lower qi, relieve cough and asthma, moisten the intestines and promote bowel movements. It is used for cough and asthma, chest fullness and phlegm, blood deficiency and body fluid dryness, and constipation due to dry intestines.

1. Moisturize the lungs

Bitter almonds can relieve cough and asthma, moisten the intestines and promote bowel movements, and can treat lung diseases, coughs, etc. Sweet almonds and the dried almonds we eat daily are more moisturizing and have a certain lung-tonifying effect.

2. Lower cholesterol

Almonds are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols, which can not only lower the cholesterol content in the human body, but also significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and many chronic diseases.

3. Promote skin blood circulation

Almonds also have beauty benefits. They can promote skin microcirculation and make the skin rosy and shiny.

4. Anti-tumor

The anti-tumor effect of almonds is mainly due to the fact that bitter almonds contain a biologically active substance, amygdalin, which can enter the blood and kill cancer cells, but has no effect on healthy cells. Therefore, it can improve the symptoms of advanced cancer patients and prolong their survival. At the same time, because it contains rich carotene, it can resist oxidation, prevent free radicals from invading cells, and has the effect of preventing tumors.

5. Lose weight

Studies have found that eating 50 to 100 grams of almonds (about 40 to 80 almonds) a day will not increase weight. Sweet almonds are not only high in protein, but also contain a lot of fiber, which can reduce hunger, which is beneficial for maintaining weight. Fiber is good for intestinal tissue and can reduce the incidence of intestinal cancer, cholesterol content and the risk of heart disease. Therefore, obese people can choose sweet almonds as snacks to achieve the effect of controlling weight.

Nutritional value of almonds

1. Almonds are rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin P, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other nutrients.

2. The content of carotene in almonds is second only to mangoes among fruits. People call almonds anti-cancer fruits. Almonds are rich in fatty oils, which can lower cholesterol. Therefore, almonds have a good effect on preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, almonds have the effects of promoting body fluid and quenching thirst, moistening the lungs and relieving asthma, and are often used for the health care and treatment of patients with dry lungs, asthma and cough.

3. A recent study by American researchers shows that people with normal or slightly higher cholesterol levels can replace low-nutrient-density foods in their diet with almonds to achieve the goal of lowering blood cholesterol and maintaining heart health. Researchers believe that the various nutrients in almonds, such as vitamin E, monounsaturated fat and dietary fiber, can effectively reduce the risk of heart disease. The total cholesterol level of 85 middle-aged and elderly volunteers (average age 56 years old) in the sample decreased by 7.6%, and the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level decreased by 9%. It also did not cause weight gain.