Snack Review: Almonds

Lately at work I’ve been gorging on almonds between keystrokes.

When raw, almonds have a subtle nutty flavour and are fun to chew. A nice pack of almonds costs $6-$12 from your local supermarket and will easily allow you grazing between your bigger work meals for a week or two.

Here are some tidbits from Wikipedia about my new favourite snackathon:

- The fruit of the almond is not a true nut, but a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed (“nut”) inside. Shelling almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed.
- The almond is a native to the Mediterranean climate region of the Middle East.
- In Morocco, almonds in the form of almond paste are the main ingredient in several desserts. Whole fried almonds are also used in sweet tajines. A drink made from almonds mixed with milk is served in important ceremonies such as weddings and can also be ordered in some cafes.
- Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E, containing 24 mg per 100g. They are also rich in dietary fiber, B vitamins, essential minerals and monounsaturated fat (see nutrient table), one of the two “good” fats which potentially may lower LDL cholesterol.

Snack Rating: 8/10
Pros: Full of good fat, crunchy, reasonably priced over time
Cons: Full of fat, not as yummy as chocolate