Happy New Year! How are those resolutions sticking? Whether your 2014 goal is to get back on a healthier lifestyle track after a decadent holiday binge, or if you are simply looking to make smarter snacking choices, keep in mind that the simplest solution is the one with crunch power: almonds help give you the nutrition and power you need for a successful year ahead.

Apart from being tasty, nutritious and satisfying, almonds pack a powerful punch, making them the ideal snack to help you tackle New Year's resolutions, whatever they might be. A one-ounce handful of almonds provide six grams of protein, four grams of hunger-fighting fiber, good fats, and important vitamins and minerals. Ounce for ounce, almonds are higher in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin and niacin than any other tree nut. What's more, almonds are endlessly versatile and 100 percent gluten free, so they're a pantry essential for those living with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Heart-smart, nutrient-rich almonds can help maintain weight and improve cholesterol levels. In fact, nearly two decades of research shows that almonds can help reduce the risk of heart disease. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, "Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of almonds as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."

What's more, a recent study suggests snacking on almonds can be a weight-wise strategy. Despite consuming approximately 250 additional calories per day from almonds, 137 adult participants at increased risk for type 2 diabetes did not gain weight over the course of the four-week study. The combined positive effects of daily almond consumption seen in participants on blood glucose response, hunger and appetite control, and vitamin E and monounsaturated fat intake without any impact on body weight suggests almonds are a smart snack choice that can help support a healthy weight, although the study did not measure the long-term impact of consuming almonds and almond consumption was self-reported.

Source: California Almonds

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