President Joe Biden may be known for his love of ice cream, but his predecessor has a different favorite snack: almonds. In an appearance this week on Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan’s podcast I’ve Had It, former President Barack Obama was asked about his famous fixation with almonds. In a 2016 New York Times profile, it was reported that the then-outgoing POTUS’s “only snack at night is seven lightly salted almonds.”
While Obama has previously denied that he actually counts out how many almonds he eats, he did confirm that the nuts remain a go-to.
“Almonds are my favorite snack,” Obama shared during Thursday’s podcast episode. “There was a weird story about me only having seven of them. A friend of mine was making a joke about me only having seven of them, but apparently the journalist didn’t understand it was a joke. People come up and ask me all the time, ‘Do you really only have seven almonds?’ As though I was there counting them out. But almonds, they’re good for you. It’s a healthy snack.”
Is Obama’s favorite nut a good choice for you? Here’s what dietitians have to say.
Why you should eat almonds
“Almonds provide nutrients that Americans typically don’t eat enough of, including magnesium, vitamin E, folate and fiber,” dietitian Vanessa King tells Yahoo Life. They are also a good source of phytosterols, or plant sterols, that support heart health, as well as “antioxidants that reduce inflammation and prevent chronic diseases,” she says.
Dietitian Kat Garcia-Benson tells Yahoo Life that these nuts also offer “heart-healthy fats.” While fatty foods often get a bad rap when it comes to the heart, the fats found in almonds are monounsaturated, which increases your “good” cholesterol levels. Plus, dietitian Melanie Betz notes that in addition to healthy fats, almonds also contain about 7 grams of protein per quarter-cup serving, which helps keep us satiated as well as build and maintain muscle.
Does it matter how many almonds you eat?
You can have more than seven, if you want! Garcia-Benson says there’s no one-size-fits-all serving size for almonds, as everyone’s needs and preferences vary. A typical serving, she says, is about 1 ounce (roughly 23 almonds), which can provide a helpful balance of nutrients.
However, she notes, eating fewer almonds as part of a nighttime routine — as Obama is reported to do — might serve a different purpose. “While seven almonds won’t offer a significant dose of magnesium for sleep, the relaxation that comes from the routine, the crunch and the enjoyment of the almonds themselves can be just as beneficial,” she explains.
When to avoid almonds
As long as you’re not allergic to almonds, they can be a great addition to your diet. However, portion control is key.
Garcia-Benson notes that “almonds are energy-dense, meaning they pack a lot of calories into a small portion, which can add up quickly if not balanced with other foods.” A 1-ounce serving of almonds contains about 180 calories — so, if you are managing your weight, you may want to keep an eye on how many nuts you’re consuming in a sitting.
Betz adds that many almonds on shelves are salted — and when eaten in excess, this can “add quite a bit of sodium to your diet.” This, Betz says, is of concern as most Americans are already eating more sodium than we need. “Eating too much sodium increases our risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease and kidney stones,” she says.
Betz, who specializes in treating people with kidney disease, says that almonds are also “incredibly high in oxalate,” and about 80% of kidney stones are made from calcium oxalate. “Although a low-oxalate diet is not the best way to prevent kidney stones, eating a ton of almonds — especially outside of a healthy, well-balanced diet with enough calcium — could cause kidney stones in susceptible people,” she explains.
