Men who ate 50 g of almonds a day (about 1 ¾ oz, or around 35-40 whole almonds) had improved blood flow and lower blood pressure after 4 weeks compared to men who stuck to their normal diets. They also had higher levels of the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol in their blood. Alpha-tocopherol is the form of vitamin E that is most easily absorbed by the human body, and it has been linked to heart health in the past. Almonds are known to be a rich source of alpha-tocopherol as well as fiber and healthy fats. The researchers found the almonds to have this positive effect in both young and middle-aged men, and emphasized how quickly the almonds were able to induce these changes in blood vessels. Adding almonds to your diet could be a simple way to have an immediate impact on your heart health.
(Source: Free Radical Research, 2014, DOI: 10.3109/10715762.2014.896458.)
