American Heart Association Certifies Almonds With Signature "Heart-Check"

Two decades of almond research to date has been recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) showing that the crunchy nut's nutrient profile supports healthy heart functions, with more studies being undertaken to support these findings every year.

Feb 23 2012 --- The American Heart Association (AHA) has certified almonds with its signature Heart-Check mark to signify that they are a heart-healthy food. This symbol is the most consumer-trusted nutrition icon appearing on packaged foods in fact, one study found that more than half of shoppers use the mark as a deciding factor when choosing to purchase a new product. Consumers can now easily identify almonds as smart choice for their heart health.

"Nutrition research has long supported the heart health benefits of almonds," says Jenny Heap, MS, RD, Health Professional Marketing Manager, Almond Board of California. "Now consumers will be able to more easily identify almonds in the supermarket as a heart-smart food, helping take the guess work out of shopping."

Two decades of almond research to date has been recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) showing that the crunchy nut's nutrient profile supports healthy heart functions, with more studies being undertaken to support these findings every year. According to the FDA, "Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds,  as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." 

Almond lovers have been savvy for some time to the nut's heart-healthy status, particularly when compared to other nuts. According to a 2011 consumer survey, almonds are the nut selected most often at more than 40 percent of respondents as "the nut that is a good snack and helps my heart," a significant 29 percent ahead of other nuts. That same survey showed that men are particularly interested in almonds' heart-healthy attributes, such as being completely cholesterol-free.

In each one-ounce serving, or about a handful, almonds provide 6 grams of protein, 13 grams of good unsaturated fat, only 1 gram of saturated fat, are naturally cholesterol-free, and contain fiber (3.5g), calcium (75mg), vitamin E (7.4mg), riboflavin (0.3mg) and niacin (1mg), all of which contribute to a healthy heart.