Almonds

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This incredibly popular nut, Prunus dulcis, is native to the Middle East, India, and North Africa. The nut is actually the seed of the tree’s fruit, but we generally refer to it as a tree nut. Interestingly, wild almond is toxic to humans, while domesticated almond is not. Almonds are eaten whole but are also used to make a butter, flour, and dairy-alternative milk. Like all nuts and seeds, almonds are excluded when on the autoimmune protocol, but they may be reintroduced and consumed after a period of time if tolerated. Some of my favorite recipes with almonds are my Almond Coconut Bars, Stir-fried Turnip Greens with Mushrooms and Almonds, and Gingerbread Cut-Outs.

For those who tolerate them, almonds can be a great source of nutrition. Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fats but also contain some polyunsaturated and saturated. They are also a good source of fiber. From a micronutrient perspective, almonds are very high in vitamins B2 and E as well as the dietary minerals magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.

Almonds can be bought whole, as flour, or as butter on Amazon.