5 Lesser Known Side Effects Of Almonds

5 Lesser Known Side Effects Of Almonds

Almonds are considered as the healthiest snacks and included in salads, baked foods, and various other dishes. Roasted almond, almond butter, oil, or milk give a buttery and creamy taste making any dish more palatable. They are packed with amino acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and more which promote good health.

Almonds come in two varieties, sweet and bitter. Both varieties are best consumed after roasting them since raw almonds pose health hazards. While sweet almonds are used in foods, essential oils, oils for skin and hair, bitter almonds are used in small amounts in liqueur. Sweet almonds are eaten either in their dry roasted form or after soaking them in water. Soaked almonds are considered healthier than dry roasted ones. Bitter almonds, however, are not widely used since consuming a handful of them could cause death.

The FDA recommends consuming 1.5 oz of sweet almonds per day, which accounts to 1/3rd of a cup. When the intake is restricted to this quantity, the benefits are evident. However, consuming an excess of almonds can have severe side effects. Listed below are the same.

Side Effects Of Almonds

1. Vitamin-E Overdose

Vitamin-E Overdose

Our body requires about 15 mg of vitamin-E every day. Consuming 1.5 oz of almonds per day accounts to 7.5 mg, which is exactly half of the nutritional demand. This might not have any side effects, given, you do not consume excess almonds along with other rich dietary sources of vitamin-E. Some of them are eggs, spinach, whole grains, and fortified cereals. A vitamin-E overdose could cause dizziness, weakness, blurred vision, rashes, and diarrhea.

Watch out for the quantities every time you eat almonds or have almond milk.

2. Weight Gain

may increase weight if consumed in larger propotions

One ounce of almonds contains 14 g of fat and 163 calories. Your body breaks it down efficiently when you workout. However, overconsumption of almonds accompanied by inactive lifestyle could lead to fat deposition in the body, resulting in weight gain. So, if you consume 3 oz of almonds per day, without working out, you might gain 1 lbs of weight in a week’s time. Thus, including almonds as a part of your 2000 calories diet is recommended.

3. Digestive Tract Issues

Causes digestive tract problems

The amount of fiber per ounce of almonds is 3.5 g, which is the daily recommended intake of fibers. These levels are necessary for easier bowel movements and prevent diarrhea. Consuming excess of almonds could, in turn, cause constipation and bloating. Your digestive tract will not be accustomed to excess fiber and would need to add extra efforts to eliminate it from the body. Drinking enough water would help in this regard.

Consuming almond milk could also irritate the gastrointestinal tract in people with lactose intolerance, since the stomach might treat almond milk as milk with lactose.

4. Drug Interaction

Drug Interaction

Manganese is a necessary mineral that aids in the development of connective tissue, improves metabolism, blood clotting, and maintains blood sugar levels. FDA recommends 1.8–2.3 mg of manganese per day. An ounce of almonds contains 0.6 mg of manganese which is within the limits.

But, excess consumption of almonds accompanied by a manganese-rich diet which includes beans, whole grains, berries, or tofu could trigger drug interactions. It could interact with laxatives, antacids, antipsychotic drugs, some antibiotics, and hypertension medications.

5. Increase Toxicity

Increase Toxicity : Side Effects Of Almonds

Bitter almonds are known to contain hydrocyanic acid which is a poisonous compound. Though bitter almonds help cure spasms, itch, and pain, overconsumption of these could lead to serious conditions. Some of them include nervous breakdown, choking, and death. It is strictly not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Apart from these, in people with tree nut allergy, almonds could trigger severe side effects like swelling of mouth, breathlessness, and rashes. Such people might also have an allergy using almond oil on their skin or hair. There have been cases where the overuse of almond oil for skin or hair has caused adverse effects, however, research in this regard is still in progress.

Care should be taken to consume only dry and roasted almonds or their byproducts. Raw almonds should be avoided as they could have bacterial growth which causes infections. In any case, moderation is the key.