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Are slivered almonds as nutritious as whole almonds with the brown skin on them?
– Gary Wington
(Location withheld)
Slivered almonds offer as much protein, manganese, selenium, fiber, and heart-healthy fat as their skinned counterparts.
However, keep in mind that nutrition goes beyond the basic macro (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
Almond skins contain a high amount of flavonoids. Apart from having health benefits of their own, they help maximize the health benefits of the vitamin E present in actual almonds.
This study from the June 2005 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, for instance, found that the flavonoids in almond skins work synergistically with vitamin E in almond “meat” to reduce LDL oxidation (one of the main factors behind the development of atherosclerosis).
Another example of how a whole food is nutritionally superior to a slightly more processed counterpart.
