We have always heard about the many advantages of almonds for health. It is one thing that our mothers remind us of eating every day in the morning to have a sharp memory. However, little did we know that almonds can be promising for gut health too. A recent study concludes that “eating 56 grams of almonds daily — the equivalent of approximately 46 almonds — can improve gut health by promoting levels of butyrate”. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that is a key factor in our gut health and determined the health of the microbiome itself.
As you replace your favorite snack with almond, you get plenty of nutrients from the seed. From Vitamin E to magnesium, Almonds have an abundance of essential nutrients., however, the biggest advantage comes to gut health as regular consumption of almonds changes the level of gut bacteria significantly.
A handful of almonds every day can make your body produce more butyrate. What does this butyrate do, you may ask? Well, here is the answer:
Butyrate is a great short-chain fatty acid that promotes your digestive health. It strengthens your digestive system, controls inflammation, and prevents a wide range of diseases.
Some important roles that short-chain fatty acids play in the body are:
The energy source for colonocytes
Butyrate fuels the gut cells as it is the core food of gut cells. If the colon cells do not get butyrate, they won’t survive and function properly. With butyrate available in the right amount, the colonocytes can feed and gain the energy to maintain an oxygen-free environment for helpful gut bacteria to survive.
Controls antioxidant power
With butyrate, your gut gets the power to fight free radicals and prevent your body systems from overwhelming, which is a common problem when there is an oxidative reaction inside the body.
Avoids gut inflammation
The anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer functions of Butyrate are a blessing for your gut. It reduces the oxidative stress on the gut making it work more efficiently.
Avoid leaky guts
As Butyrate is the main food of colonocytes, any damage to the gut cells can be repaired with the right amount of food available. The more butyrate you make in the body, the more powerful your gut would become.
the Department of Nutritional Studies at King’s College London, which conducted a recent study on the effects of eating almonds on human gut health also said that “butyrate produced in the gut can enter the bloodstream where it is involved in the regulation of health in other areas of the body, such as the liver, brain, and lungs.”
So, now when your mother asks you to eat your almonds, you think of these advantages and grab them without wasting any minute.
