In a study, published in this month's Journal of Nutrition, the antioxidants in almond skins and the vitamin E in almonds were shown to work together as an antioxidant team.
The study was co-authored by researchers at the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and the Almond Board of California.
Almond skins have been known to contain antioxidants called flavonoids, which are a large group of plant nutrients found in wine, tea, fruits and vegetables.
Flavonoids can act as antioxidants in the body, protecting cells from damage.
They also can protect LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, from being attacked by oxygen or oxidized, which makes LDL stickier and more likely to clog arteries.
Some of the 20 flavonoids identified in this analysis have been detected in other foods, such the catechins found in green tea, and naringenin, found in citrus fruit.
"The synergy between the flavonoids and vitamin E in almonds demonstrates how the nutrients in whole foods such as almonds can impact health," says Dr. Blumberg.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (February 2005) found that eating almonds as part of a diet rich in heart healthy foods such as soy, viscous fiber and plant sterols can significantly reduce cholesterol levels as much as first generation statin drugs.
The Food and Drug Administration recognizes the heart healthy benefit of almonds as well with a qualified health claim.
Almonds are nutritionally dense - a quality emphasized in the government's latest Dietary Guidelines.
Ounce for ounce, almonds are the most nutritionally dense nut.
The recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 encourage Americans to choose nutritionally dense foods - that is, to get the most nutrition possible out of the calories you eat.