Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 to commemorate feelings of love, affection and friendship. This day, dedicated to St. Valentine is celebrated across the world with people showing their loved ones how much they are cherished with grand gestures and several gifts. This year, due to with the pandemic, let’s choose to share thoughtful gifts like Almonds with our loved ones, which will not only bring a smile to their faces, but will add to their health, immunity and well-being in the longer run.
Almonds are a source of 15 nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, protein, riboflavin, zinc etc., and offer a host of benefits to support heart health, 1 , 2 skin health 3 and weight management 4 , 5 in addition to helping manage blood sugar 6 , 7.
Leading Bollywood actress, Soha Ali Khan said, “Valentine’s Day is a special occasion to showcase affection, concern and care and the best way to do that is by sharing thoughtful gifts. This year, I plan on sharing almonds as they are known to be the gift of good health. They contain several nutrients like in Vitamin B2, Vitamin E, magnesium, and phosphorus that help in leading a healthy life. Besides this, almonds are known to have immunity supporting nutrients like copper, zinc, folate, iron and vitamin E, 8 which makes them the perfect gift which add to the receivers’ overall health.”
Sheela Krishnaswamy, Nutrition and Wellness Consultant said, “Exchanging gifts is customary on Valentine’s Day, but these are traditionally restricted to chocolates and other sugary treats, which aren’t the best for our health. My suggestion is, while choosing a gift for your loved one, look at foods that are tasty yet offer a diversity of health benefits. For this, one of my top suggestions is almonds. Almonds can aid in better managing lifestyle diseases like diabetes, which is becoming increasingly common in India, by helping lower the blood sugar impact of carbohydrate foods that they are eaten with, which affects fasting insulin levels 9. ”
According to Well-known Fitness and Celebrity instructor, Yasmin Karachiwala, “Valentine’s Day is a good time to celebrate your loved ones, and show them the care they deserve. I feel there are many ways to do this – and this needn’t necessarily be by planning a fancy dinner, or taking an expensive holiday. It could simply be investing more in your partner or loved one’s health by buying them a gym membership, enrolling them in an online Pilates class or pushing them to take better care of themselves and working out with them regularly. Along with a regular fitness routine, be sure to share almonds with them, as they make for the perfect pre or post workout food, as they are known to provide energy and also contain satiating properties which promote feelings of fullness, 10 which will aid them in their journey to fitness. Committing to your loved one’s fitness is one the best gifts you could offer them this Valentine’s Day, as this aid in making them healthier over time.”
