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Nuts for Chocolate-Covered Almonds!
Looking for a healthy snack that feels indulgent? Chocolate-covered almonds are a great option! Almonds and chocolate have health benefits such as lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and lowering hunger levels for people who consume them. The combination of these factors equates to a lower risk for heart disease.
Chocolate-covered almonds can also help reduce inflammation and provide healthy fat and fiber. This does not mean people can eat unlimited amounts; moderation is still crucial.
Almonds provide “good” unsaturated fat, and they also contain plant protein, fiber, magnesium and are cholesterol-free. The recommended daily serving of almonds is about 23, or about a handful. Choosing chocolate-covered almonds over other crunchy foods such as chips, candy, or cookies is almost always the healthier option.
Almond trees originated in the Mediterranean and originally grew in the wild. Now they are grown in orchards. In the United States, almonds are produced in California, and it is the only place in North America where almonds are grown commercially. The almond nut we eat is the seed from a fruit called a drupe, which has an inedible outer shell and hull. The leftover shells and hulls are used for livestock feed and bedding.
Chocolate also has natural origins and has been around for approximately 4,000 years. Originally from Central America, chocolate is made from cacao beans. Pods are harvested from the cacao trees to make chocolate, and the beans are removed, fermented, and dried. Then the beans are roasted and ground, creating a cocoa powder. The powder produced is then sweetened, re-ground, and molded while it solidifies. Ancient civilizations made drinks with cacao beans, water, spices, and honey. The chocolate we eat today is far more processed, but depending on the type, it goes through different steps during processing and has varied nutritional content.
Dark chocolate contains from 35 to 85 percent cocoa, versus milk chocolate, which generally has around 10 percent cocoa in addition to powdered milk and sugar. Milk chocolate is sweeter, but dark chocolate has lower sugar content. Some people find dark chocolate to be bitter, while others enjoy the deeper flavor. Mass-produced chocolate of today often contains additives like butter and vegetable fats.
Try making homemade chocolate-covered almonds to create the perfect recipe for your taste buds.
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Community Vitality and Health Educator
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Email: nfs@uwyo.edu
Extension Educator:
Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531
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Issued in furtherance of extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kelly Crane, Director, University of Wyoming Extension, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming Extension, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.
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