Table of contents:
- What is almond oil?
- Almond oil nutritional content
- A myriad of health benefits of almond oil
- 1. Maintain heart health
- 2. Antidote to free radicals
- 3. Control blood sugar
- 4. Helps lose weight
There is no doubt that almond oil is very beneficial for skin and hair care. However, not many people realize that almond oil also provides amazing properties for the body. So, what are the benefits of almond oil for health? The following is the full explanation.
What is almond oil?
Almond oil is an extract of almond seeds that contains high amounts of healthy fats. There are two types of almond oil, namely unrefined almond oil and no refining process.
In order to obtain pure almond oil, almonds are pre-dried and extracted through certain processing and chemical processes. Unfortunately, this process affects the nutritional value of the oil. Yes, many of the almond's nutrients are also depleted due to high heat and chemicals during processing.
Meanwhile, almond oil that does not go through a refining process, almond oil is obtained by pressing raw almonds until the oil comes out, without using heat or chemicals. The advantage of this method is that most of the nutritional content of almonds will not be lost or reduced. This is why unrefined almond oil is more widely used for cooking purposes.
Almond oil nutritional content
Although the nutritional content in almond oil is not as much as whole almonds, almond oil still contains nutrients that are good for the health of the body. Reporting from Healthline, every 14 grams or the equivalent of one tablespoon, almond oil contains the following nutrients:
- Calories: 119
- Total fat: 13.5 grams
- Saturated fat: 1.1 grams (10%)
- Monounsaturated fat: 9.4 grams (70%)
- Polyunsaturated fat: 2.3 grams (20%)
- Vitamin E: 26% of the daily requirement
- Phytosterols: 35.9 milligrams
Judging from its nutritional content, it is clear that almond oil is an excellent source of vitamin E. Almond oil also contains unsaturated fats (healthy fats) which are high enough to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity.
A myriad of health benefits of almond oil
1. Maintain heart health
As previously explained, almond oil consists of 70 percent monounsaturated fat. This type of fat content has been shown to have a positive effect on heart health, namely by increasing levels of HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol.
High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is a type of protein that carries cholesterol away from the heart arteries to the liver. It is in the liver where cholesterol is broken down and excreted from the body. This means that the higher the HDL, the more protected the heart organ is from various diseases, especially heart disease.
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), the opposite of HDL, is a type of bad cholesterol that is a risk factor for heart disease. By consuming almond oil, you also lower LDL and help maintain heart health. In fact, one study states that a diet high in almond oil can significantly reduce LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as increase HDL cholesterol by 6 percent.
2. Antidote to free radicals
One of the amazing benefits of almond oil is its function as an antioxidant. The reason is, almond oil contains vitamin E which is quite high. Just one tablespoon of almond oil meets 26 percent of the recommended daily intake.
Vitamin E is useful for protecting body cells from free radicals. Even though the body actually needs them, free radicals can harm the body if there are too many of them. The reason is, excess free radicals can cause oxidative damage that leads to cancer and heart disease.
Research has shown that a high intake of vitamin E can help reduce the risk of heart disease, age-related macular degeneration, and decreased cognitive abilities of the brain in the elderly.
3. Control blood sugar
If you have diabetes, there's nothing wrong with trying the benefits of almond oil. Almond oil can help you keep your blood sugar stable. This is because the content of mono and polyunsaturated fats in almond oil has been shown to lower blood sugar in diabetics.
A study showed that participants who ate a breakfast menu with added almond oil had lower blood sugar levels, both after meals and throughout the day, compared to participants who did not get added almond oil.
The benefits of almond oil were not only that, participants who received additional almond oil felt fuller after eating. As a result, the diet can be controlled properly.
4. Helps lose weight
The benefits of almond oil on this one are suitable for those of you who are trying to lose weight, but are not working. Many people avoid fat when trying to lose weight. However, the good fats in almond oil can actually help you achieve your ideal body weight.
The almond-eating diet has been shown to help with weight loss. Well, this also applies to almond oil, you know! Both almonds and their oils can help shed fat deposits in your body.
A study shows that a diet high in monounsaturated fat can improve weight loss and body composition in obese women. In fact, diets high in monounsaturated fat are reported to be more effective than diets high in carbohydrates in losing weight.
However, that doesn't mean you can consume as much almond oil as possible. Still, their use needs to be limited. You can use almond oil when sautéing vegetables and herbs or assalad dressingdelicious.
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