If you're looking for an addition to your diet that packs a healthy punch, a small serving of almonds here and there can make a big difference.

Almonds pack a dense nutritional punch to benefit you and your body. If you're looking to strengthen your heart, your bones, or even your libido, almonds can help do the trick.

Here are some major health benefits of almonds:

Lower Cholesterol

Eating almonds helps to lower levels of the bad kind of cholesterol, called low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and increase levels of the good kind, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Almonds also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help protect you from heart disease.

Keep a Healthy Weight

Although they contain a high number of calories, almonds can actually help to reduce your risk of weight gain and obesity — as long as you pay attention to portion size. The protein and fiber in the nuts make you feel full faster, so you can better control your calorie intake while still satisfying your hunger.

Lower Blood Pressure

Almonds can help lower your systolic blood pressure, which offers even more protection against heart disease.

Nutritional Profile

An ounce of whole almonds contains:

• Calories: 152
• Protein: 6 grams
• Fat: 13 grams
• Carbohydrates: 6 grams
• Dietary fiber: 3 grams
• Sugar: 1 gram

Almonds are also an excellent source of nutrients such as:

• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B2
• Manganese
• Magnesium

It's easy to eat too many, which could mean you're getting more calories and fat than you need. A healthy serving is ¼ cup, or about 23 almonds.

How to Prepare Almonds

Almonds are a healthy and delicious snack that can bring some real benefits to your physical health. Because they're so versatile and convenient, it's easy to fit them into your diet. Here are a few ways you can enjoy almonds:

• Enjoy a serving of raw almonds for a daytime or evening snack
• Add sliced almonds to your oatmeal or cereal
• Roast almonds for better texture and flavor
• Use almond milk, butter, or flour in your baking

Disclaimer: Even though every effort is made to ensure the image depicts the product accurately in color, size, and appearance, lighting and photography performance among other factors cannot guarantee you will receive the product as pictured.

Due to the sensitive nature of nuts, it is possible that some may be damaged or broken during transportation. In addition, we cannot guarantee that each pack contains 100% whole/unbroken products, but we make every effort to ensure our packaging is as secure and strong as possible. The nuts or other products may also be damaged or broken during transit from our manufacturers, so it is sometimes impossible to guarantee 100% whole contents without some broken pieces.