Healthy & sustainable: why almonds are the perfect choice

12-Jul-2024

Rebecca Kunz: My personal favorite is the almond.

Almond Board of California

Sustainable nutritionist Rebecca Kunz provides an insight: "Growing old healthily - a phrase that is increasingly being used as a goal. But to achieve this, we not only need a healthy body, but also a healthy world. This means we need to think, act and live sustainably. But what does sustainability actually have to do with our health? When it comes to a plant-based diet, many people immediately think of a vegetarian or even vegan diet. However, this is not about extremes or prohibitions, but rather about awareness and conscious consumption. A plant-based diet provides our body with more vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, as well as fiber, which can keep us satiated for longer, prevent cravings and feed our good gut bacteria. This diet can also provide our body with more important unsaturated fats. According to recent studies, this reduces the risk of diseases such as stroke, cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A win-win situation, so to speak(14th DGE Nutrition Report, 2020). That's why I make sure to snack on a handful of nuts every day, as they are great sources of unsaturated fats and natural plant protein, which is something to look out for in a plant-based diet.

My personal favorite is the almond. It's the perfect mix for me: crunchy and packed with essential nutrients and responsibly grown. An example: Over a period of 20 years (1990s-2010s), Californian almond farmers have managed to reduce water consumption by 33% per pound of almonds. In 2018, they set themselves a further 20% reduction target by 2025. One way to reduce water consumption is to use micro-irrigation. Already 85% of farms irrigate their almond fields drop by drop.

Because only with a healthy planet, with an intact environment in which we have clean water, can grow sufficient and good food for ourselves and use our resources sparingly will we also grow old "healthily". As you can see, there is more than just vitamins and nutrients on our plates. You don't have to be perfect - just try to do your best every day! So what are you waiting for?"

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

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