Sweet almonds are the variety we buy to eat.
Some people like to soak their almonds in water for up to 8 hours. According to certain health nuts, it makes the almonds more digestible, enhances nutrient absorption, and adds prebiotic properties to promote a healthier gut microbiome. Whether soaking provides benefits is undetermined. Health nuts are not necessarily wrong, it just means there have not been scientific studies to back their claims. This could be because nobody has put up money to conduct the research, or the studies conducted can't establish cause-and-effect conclusions.
Dry almonds right out of the bag are a healthy snack too. Removing the skin of almonds is a taste or texture preference. Skinless almonds have fewer nutrients than almonds with skins. When people worry that the skins of almonds are poisonous, they confuse sweet with bitter almonds. Almonds sold in first-world countries are sweet almonds. They are wholesome. 100% of an almond is safe to eat.
Noneditable bitter almonds contain a toxin, called glycoside amygdalin that when eaten, gets broken down into hydrogen cyanide, a toxic compound that can cause accidental death in adults who consume 10 to 12 of them.
Editable sweet almonds are sold in supermarkets and specialty food shops. They are high in fiber and antioxidants like flavonoids and vitamin E, protecting us against free radicals that cause chronic disease and premature aging. Vitamin E reduces inflammation, boosts immunity, and helps widen blood vessels to improve blood flow. Almonds are a natural fighter against obesity, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, gut health, and Alzheimer's.
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Compared to other nuts, sweet "almonds are one of the healthiest nuts to eat. They are higher in fiber, protein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, magnesium, calcium, iron, folate acid, and other nutrients." Many of their nutrients like vitamin E are contained in their skin. Almond skins are not only good to eat, but they also provide additional antioxidants and fiber.
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