Nut Day
Could there be a better way to mark Nut Day, on 22 October, than with a healthy handful (that’s 30g)…
Celebrate Almond Day on 16 February with a healthy handful of this tasty and nutritious nut. In fact, almonds are one of the most nutrient-dense foods around!
And did you know that Australia is the second largest producer of almonds in the world?
In 2022-23, Australian-based growers produced around 141,000 tonnes of almonds. Around 53% is produced in Victoria’s growing regions, followed by South Australia (28%) and New South Wales (18%).
Did you know? A study, by Australian-based researchers, found adding almonds to a kilojoule-restricted diet can help weight loss, and improve various measures of cardiometabolic health, such as blood pressure, blood sugars, and lipids.
According to Australian research, snacking on a handful of almonds could cut daily energy (kilojoule) intake, helping to keep extra kilos at bay.
The University of South Australia study, involving 140 people, found that those who ate 30-50g almonds – as opposed to a kilojoule-equivalent carbohydrate snack – lowered their energy intake by 300kJ at the next meal.
The researchers suggest eating almonds impacts several appetite-regulating hormones – such as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide.
Adding weight to these findings, is an earlier (2021) randomised cross-over study, involving 100 people.
This found snacking on almonds mid-morning, rather than sweet biscuits, not only lead to significantly lower blood sugar levels – but over the testing day, when almonds were the mid-morning snack, much less energy (an average of 638kJ) was consumed.
Did you know? The Australian almond industry’s harvest season runs from February to April each year.
Whether you eat a handful as a snack on the go, or use almond-based products, like almond milk, almond butter, almond oil, or almond meal – there’s lots of delicious ways to fit almonds into your day.
Did you know? Almond butter (or paste) can be spread on just about anything (think, toast or apples, as a start) or just eaten with a spoon! Buy nut butter in grocery stores, or make your own at home.
Be sure to follow us for great recipes,
Nut inspirations and fun facts