Almonds have an amazing profile of antioxidant and nutritional benefits, making them a great candidate for fighting disease.
They can improve brain function, hinder the onset of cancer, and much, much more.
Pound for pound, fresh nuts might seem expensive - not when you consider the many health benefits.
1. Almonds can benefit your intestinal health
Regular consumption of almonds can benefit the production of helpful bacteria in the intestines.
Stool samples were collected from study groups after consuming almonds regularly for a period of time. There were notable increases in Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp.
These changes were noted with daily doses of as low as 56 grams of almonds - or ten grams of almond skins. The bacteria in question are responsible for a number of health factors. Promoting their growth can help prevent dangerous intestinal diseases, and promote the development of healthy tissues and metabolism.
Almonds - even just the skin - can modify the efficacy of intestinal flora, leading to better health.
2. Almonds can lower LDL cholesterol, limiting heart disease
Despite having a relatively high fat content, almonds are known to eliminate cholesterol from the body. The fat content of almonds is largely monounsaturated - the ‘good’ type of fat that helps lower the risk of heart disease.
When substituting almonds in a high-carb diet, researchers found that the risk of heart disease was decreased by up to 30 percent. The benefits stack when almonds are included with other healthy foods, as well. If they’re included in a diet plan that includes foods from all groups, the decrease in cholesterol and heart disease can be increased.
Almonds are high in potassium. Potassium is a mineral that’s responsible for opening up veins and arteries, allowing for more efficient blood flow. This helps clear the cardiovascular system of cholesterol and further reduces the risk of coronary disease.
Magnesium - another mineral that almonds are full of - is also responsible for maintaining a proper blood flow. The content of these two minerals, along with almonds having a high antioxidant content, ensures that they can effectively fight off cholesterol and heart disease. They’re also useful in fighting off recurring or chronic diseases.
The combination of antioxidants, minerals, and monounsaturated fats make almonds a powerful fighter against heart disease.
3. Almonds are powerful fighters against diabetes
Almonds are shown to decrease spikes in blood sugar. Blood sugar spikes are linked to damaging cholesterol, which leads to the creation of free radicals.
A free radical is an atom missing an electron in its outer shell. To compensate, it will steal an electron from its neighbour atom, creating another free radical. This creates a destructive chain that can result in cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
A study done on fifteen participants involved feeding them five meals and monitoring blood sugar before and after. The statistics taken after the meals containing almonds showed a moderate blood pressure and an increase in antioxidants. The statistics taken after subjects consumed meals with bread (high in carbohydrates) showed a decrease in antioxidant density.
Almonds can help alleviate and potentially even prevent diabetes.
4. Almonds can help keep your skin young and healthy
Almonds contain a range of antioxidants and nutrients that can be useful in combating aging skin. These benefits are most obvious when almonds are extracted and used as an oil.
Of particular note, almonds are very high in vitamin E. There are other skin-benefiting antioxidants in almonds, but vitamin E is very good for the skin. It fights of free radicals that can affect that dermis, leading to cancer or prematurely aging skin. Vitamin e also acts as an anti-inflammatory which can prevent inflammation-related skin issues.
If you want to keep your skin looking young, add almonds into your diet.
5. Almonds help regulate blood sugar in healthy individuals
Studies have shown that almonds are amazing at maintaining a healthy glycemic index. The glycemic index is a measure that can show a person’s blood sugar level.
During a study in which subjects were given white bread (filled with empty carbohydrates - high on the glycemic index)
The effects seem to start with consumption of two or more ounces of almonds. Eating one ounce of almonds along with the bread showed no decrease in the glycemic index. However, eating two or more showed decreases in the G.I. directly proportional to the amount of almonds consumed.
Eating almonds with high-carbohydrate meals can help you maintain a healthy glycemic index.
6. Almonds are a great cognitive supporter
Almonds are one of the best brain foods you can buy! They contain both L-Carnitine and riboflavin - two nutrients that are very important in maintaining brain health. These help reduce inflammation that can lead to brain disease like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Almonds stimulate the production of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that’s responsible for helping your neurons ‘fire,’ or communicate, effectively. A deficiency in acetylcholine can lead to things like ‘brain fog,’ in which thinking becomes unclear or confused. It can also lead to headaches and eventually, cognitive decline that can turn into disease.
Acetylcholine is also hugely responsible for an individual’s memory. When studied after consuming almonds for an extended periods, rats were shown to have greater memory recall. When neurons fire faster, it’s easier for them to create or recall ideas and memories - leading to better memory retention.
Eating almonds can help improve brain function.
7. Almonds can help you lose weight!
Research suggests that overweight folk who supplement their diets with almonds will lose weight more effectively. With a low-calorie diet, the almond’s intense array of nutrients and monounsaturated fats help a person shed unnecessary weight.
The study group found that people using almonds in their weight loss program consumed more fat, but 25% of that fat was monounsaturated. This is the fat that helps clear the cardiovascular system of cholesterol. The other group, eating a carbohydrate rich diet, consumed less fat - but only 5% of it was monounsaturated.
Both diets had the same amount of calories. After the study period was over, the group that had consumed almonds instead of carbs showed significantly more weight loss than the other group. Their blood pressure was also reduced, whereas the control group saw no difference in blood pressure.
Including almonds in a low-calorie diet intended for weight loss can amplify the effect of the program!
8. Almonds not only help you lose weight - they can prevent weight gain!
Despite nuts being associated with weight gain, recent studies show the opposite. The high amount of monounsaturated fats in almonds can help you lose weight by regulating cholesterol and blood sugar.
Not only that, but a study shows that simply including almonds in your diet can inspire people to be healthier. A study group was told to add almonds into their diet. They were given no other instructions. At the end of the study, they were evaluated again. A significant number of test subjects had made their own positive changes to their diet!
The levels of certain key nutrients and vitamins were measured to be much higher than they would be simply from supplementing almonds.
Almonds aren’t just healthy - they’re inspiring! They can inspire you to make better decisions with your diet.
9. Almonds help with energy production
Three nutrients in almonds are of particular interest in those interested in being efficient at producing energy. These nutrients are manganese, copper, and riboflavin. Copper and manganese help in the production of superoxide dismutase. This chemical helps fight off free radicals that can form in the mitochrondia - the powerhouse of the cell!
Ensuring the mitochondria stays healthy is vitally important for maintaining well-functioning cells. Without mitochondria, your cells won’t producie energy and your body will begin to lose its ability.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2,) has an interesting function. It attaches to certain proteins that allow oxygen-based energy to be produced in the body. This oxygen-based energy production occurs in areas like the lung and hearts. It can be counter-effective if there is a lack of riboflavin, leading to oxidation and the forming of free radicals. Riboflavin ensures that there’s a proper flow of oxygen and that it can be converted effecively to energy.
Almonds play a vital role in replenishing the body of nutrients required for energy production.
10. Almonds can help prevent gallstones
Looking at data compiled over the last 20 years, it’s been shown that people who eat almonds regularly have a 25 percent lower chance of developing gallstones. Certain nutrients in the almonds bind to bile acids in the gut, helping to maintain a healthy amount.
Gallstones are hardened deposits of fluid. They form in yoru gallbladder, which is just beneath your liver. They’re formed when there is an excess of bile. Bile is usually released into the small intestine, but when there is an excessive amount, it can get stuck in the gallbladder and harden. Gallstones are extremely painful to pass.
The studies show that nuts are efficient in doses as low as an ounce a week. That’s like eating two pieces of toast with a spoonful of nut butter on each!
Something as simple as eating toast with almond butter can have a huge impact on preventing gallstones.
11. Almonds are a good source of protein
Almonds are a great source of quality protein. A quarter cup of almonds provides you with five grams of protein, which is about ten percent of the recommended daily allowance. Since almonds are low-carb and contain only quality, healthy fats, this is a great amount of protein.
Protein is the building block for muscles and can help a person maintain strength and energy. With inadequate protein intake, people will grow weak and their muscles will lose strength and quality.
Regular almond intake will help you get enough protein.
12. Almonds have an impressive array of vitamins and nutrients
In a quarter cup of almonds, you will get a varied amount of nutrients. The World’s Healthiest Foods rates almonds to be very good sources of biotin (49 percent of your daily value,) vitamin E (40 percent of your daily value,) manganese (27 percent of your daily value,) and copper (26 percent of your daily value. Almonds actually have the highest amount of biotin, pound for pound, than any other raw food. The contender for second place is the sweet potato, which contains only 29% of your daily value of biotin.
World’s Healthiest Foods also considers almonds to be a good source of vitamin B2, phosphorous, magnesium, molybdenum, and dietary fiber.
Vitamin E is very useful in fighting inflammation. It helps maintain healthy skin structure, elasticity and flexiblity.
Manganese is helpful in the maintenance of bones and teeth, much like the similar-sounding nutrient magnesium. Most diets have plenty of manganese in them, but you don’t need to worry about overdosing - excessive magnesium intake won’t cause you any damage unless it’s very extreme.
Biotin is a B vitamin that’s crucial for the body to properly metabolize food.
Copper is important in a lot of different ways. It helps you maintain strong ntissues, maintains your blood volume, and helps your mitochondria produce energy. Most diets are deficient in copper.
Almonds are an excellent source of biotin, Vitamin E, manganese, copper, magnesium and fiber.
13. Almonds increase the absorption of other nutrients
Certain nutrients and vitamins - such as vitamin A and D - are fat soluble. This means the body needs an adequate supply of fat to absorb them. Good fat - don’t go jumping down to McDonalds to get a burger to increase your nutrient absorption, because the negatives will quickly outweigh the bads.
Fortunately, almonds are chock full of polyunsaturated fats. These are the most effective fats for helping vitamins which are not soluble in water. Additionally, almonds contain some antioxidants and nutrients that can regulate bile production (too much bile can tax your system of nutrients) and promote intestinal health.
Almonds can also help you absorb nutrients better from the rest of your diet!
14. Almonds can protect against osteoperosis
Digested almonds leave behind a kind of residue, known as ash. It’s an alkaline substance, which helps maintain the pH level of our blood. Our blood, at its most healthy, keeps an alkaline pH of around 7.4 Sometimes the pH of the blood is offset by eating foods that are too acidic. This is why alkaline foods are necessary in the human diet.
When the blood becomes too acidic, the blood steals calcium from our bones. Calcium helps return the balance of the blood to its optimal pH of 7.4 - at the expense of making your bones more brittle and susceptible to further disease.
Eating almonds can prevent this by leaving its alkaline ash behind in the body. Additionally, the high magnesium and phosphorous content helps strengthen any bones that may already be damaged by osteopersosis.
Those who struggle with osteoporosis should consider eating almonds. They help alkalize the body and maintain proper blood pH.
15. Almonds help maintain bone and dental health
Phosphorous and magnesium - two nutrients that almonds are high in - are essential for the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Almonds also help the body absorb other nutrients, so calcium from other dietary sources will be absorbed more effectively.
Calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium together in sufficient amounts will ensure that your bones and teeth stay strong and healthy long into your life. You will be less likely to develop cavities, broken bones, or teeth yellowing.
Almonds will help your bones and teeth stay strong!
Suggestions for incorporating almonds into your diet
There are ways aside from simply eating almonds to reap their nutrients.
Almond flour is one way to reap the benefits of almonds. Look for simple ingredients - preferably, you want a flour with almonds as the sole ingredient. You can use almond flour to replace white flour in most instance - making bread, thickening soups, whatever floats your boat. Some of the nutrients are destroyed in the processing, but almonds are so filled with vitamins and antioxidants that you’ll still be getting a ton of beneficial ingredients.
Almond butter is a great way to consume almonds. It’s creamy, delicious, can be spread on toast or mixed into smoothies. Again, you’ll want an almond butter that’s got a minimal amount of ingredients - no added oils or sugars. You can also make your own almond butter by blending a bunch of them in a food processor and maybe adding a little bit of coconut oil or olive oil for texture.
Tips for ensuring your almonds maintain their maximum nutritional benefit
You want to buy almonds that aren’t baked or roasted. Raw almonds can be hard to come by in the states, since the FDA mandates that all almonds be processed for preservation. This often involves high-heat processing. Unfortunately, a lot of the essential fatty acids in almonds are sensitive to heat, and can turn bad when baked or roasted - even turn into carcinogens.
You can, however, increase the already amazing potency of almonds. If you soak them and sprout them, some of the almond’s protective enzymes will diminish. Some of these are known as antinutrients and prevent the full nutrition of almonds from being absorbed. You can soak them for as little as 24 hours. Make sure to rinse them before eating them.
Regardless of whether your almonds are soaked or not, you’ll want to store them in a cool, dry place. This will ensure the maximum amount of preservation for the vitamins and minerals.
Delicious Almond Recipes For You To Try Out
These are a few of my favourite almond recipes. You might not want to supplement your diet or healthcare program with handful after handful of raw nuts. Fortunately, almonds are highly versatile. They can be used in a huge number of dishes, from western chickens to eastern styled stir fries to curries.
Almond butter is a great substitute for peanut butter and can be used on toast, or as a substitute for peanut butter in a number of recipes. It packs just as good of a flavour with a higher nutritional profile.
Most of the recipes included have a quick prep time and a quick cooking time. They’re simple and efficient ways to get a good dose of the antioxidants and nutrients available in almonds.
The first recipe I’ll start you off with is one for a simple almond butter. You can use this in any other recipe that requires almond butter - or replace the peanut butter in your own favourite recipes with this!
1. Almond butter recipe
Almond butter is simple to make and easy to pair with lots of different foods. Peanut sauce? Try making almond sauce instead. You can use it as a topping on toast, or put it with different fruits - I like it with apples. I like to use unsalted, dry roasted almonds.
You’ll need
3 cups of almonds. That’s it! (You might need a teaspoon or a tablespoon of oil.)
Throw the almonds in a food processor and pulse them until they become a thick consistency. If they don’t stick together and get ‘buttery,’ you can throw in a teaspoon to a tablespoon of your favourite vegetable oil until the consistency is more appropriate.
This will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks. You can add cinnamon, honey, nutmeg, or any of your favourite spices to change up the flavour or tweak it to your personal preference.
2. Overnight oatmeal with almond butter
This is an interesting recipe that uses a slow cooker to make oats. It really brings out the natural flavour of the oats, and infuses the flavour of the cinnamon, spices, and honey. It’s a good way to get a protein and carbohydrate loaded breakfast that will keep you full at least until lunchtime. You can top it up with your favourite fruits or seeds for extra nutritional benefit and flavour.
This recipe makes enough for two or three people.
You’ll need
Two cups of water
One cup of milk
Half a cupOne pinch of salt
A quarter cup of almond butter
Two to three tablespoons of honey
The process!
Get a four-cup measuring cup. Mix the water, milk, oatmeal and salt together in it. Put all this in a slow cooker and cover it with enough water - around two cups. If you don’t measure this exactly, that’s okay - less is better than more, though.
Turn the slow cooker on low.
When you wake up, your oats will be nice and cooked. Stir in the almond butter and honey. You can now add any spices you want - cinnamon, nutmeg. Serve with milk if you prefer, or have it by itself or with chopped up fruits or berries on to.
This meal will keep you nutritionally satisfied for at least half the day!
The recipe I based this off won the best porridge contest award on Food52!
3. Almond Butter Soba Noodles With Garlic Shrimp
This dish is an amazing blend of a lot of different flavours. It’s also one of the reasons I suggest using almond butter instead of peanut butter - a lot of people would glance over this recipe and expect peanut butter to be used in place. The almond butter makes it lighter, creamier, and more nutritious. This recipe cooks fairly quickly, but only serves two people.
You’ll need
For the garlic shrimp:
One and a half teaspoons of vegetable oil
Eight to ten white prawns
Two cloves of garlic
Half a teaspoon of salt
A quarter teaspoon of black pepper
For the sauce:
A quarter cup of almond butter
Two tablespoons of ponzu sauce
Two tablespoons of honey
One and a half tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
A tablespoon and a teaspoon of soy sauce
Two teaspoons of sesame oil
For the rest:
Eight ounces of soba noodles
One carrot
A third of a cucumber
Three leaves of cabbage
One teaspoon of black sesame seeds (pre-toasted, or you can do it yourself)
One teaspoon of toasted almonds
The method:
To cook the garlic shrimp, put all the ingredients listed under the garlic shrimp section in a large bowl. Marinate them for half an hour. If you bought sesame seeds that aren’t pre-roasted, you can roast them in a skillet by turning the heat on medium high, putting the seeds in the skillet, and heating them while stirring/shaking until the aroma begins to rise.
To cook the shrimp, heat the skillet up. Saute the shrimp for five minutes or until they’re cooked. Take them away from the element and put them in the fridge.
Now make the sauce. Place all the ingredients listed for the sauce section in a bowl. Mix them until they’re combined. Put the sauce in the fridge with the shrimp for half an hour.
To make the meal, first shred your cabbage, peel and julienne your carrot, and julienne your cucumber. Toss the soba noodles in the sauce, then put a handful of your cabbage on a plate and put the noodles on top of them. Garnish the noodles with your julienned carrots and cucumbers, and finally put the shrimp on top. You can heat the shrimp up prior to serving, if you’d like. Lightly decorate with your roasted sesame seeds, and - voila! The meal is ready.
4. Almond Butter And Spinach Smoothie
Winter has never been revered for being the best season for smoothies. However, a lot of people let their diet get away from them in winter! This is a nice way to add a cupful of nutrients into your daily intake. The preparation is quick, and the product worthwhile. Having this alongside the powerhouse oatmeal would be enough to keep you going all day.
You’ll need
A tablespoon of almond butter
Two cups of spinach
A cup of almond milk - vanilla flavour preferred
Half a banana
A quarter cup of frozen, chunked pineapple
The process
As I’m sure you imagined, the process is quite simple - just like any other smoothie. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend away. When everything’s fully combined, your smoothie will be a beautiful, bright green and the spinach will be completely blended. It should still be cold, so drink it up right away!
5. Roasted eggplant with a rich, creamy, almond-coconut sauce
This is another amazing recipe that does a perfect job of blending all sorts of different flavours together. Using almond butter instead of peanut butter adds a level of depth to the eggplant that couldn’t otherwise be obtained. The cooking of this recipe is quite simple, but you’ll want to start prepping early as you need to salt the eggplant and let it sit for an hour.
You’ll need
The method
Cut the eggplant into half-inch slices. Both sides should be sprinkled with salt. Use your hands to press the salt so it sticks. You can let them sit in a colander so there’s airflow reaching most part of the eggplant. Let it sit for an hour.
Preheat your oven for 450 degrees. AFter they’ve sat for an hour, take the eggplant slices out, rinse the salt off and pat them dry.
Grab a baking sheet and cover it with tinfoil. Put the eggplant on and brush both sides with oil. Once the oven’s preheated, roast it for 20 to 30 minutes or until it’s tender to the touch and taste.
While it’s baking, you can make the sauce. Mix the almond butter, coconut milk, sugar, lime juice, chili garlic and fish sauce in a blender or a food processor. Blend on pulse until the mixture’s smooth and creamy.
Pour this mixture into a saucepan on low heat. Stir it until the sauce warms up and is a bit thick. This shouldn’t take more than seven minutes at low heat.
To serve, simply put the slices of eggplant on plates and pour the sauce overtop.
6. Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Granola Bars
Taken from this recipe here, these incredible, sweet, yet healthy granola bars make a great dessert or a great snack. They’re sweet and sticky, crunchy yet soft, and very rich. The almond butter and walnuts add a great layer of depth to the dark chocolate. I’ve modified the recipe slightly for my own tastes, but the original holds up just as well. The recipe is incredibly simple, the cook time is fast since you don’t need to bake them, and depending on how you slice them, you can get enough servings for quite a few people.
You’ll need
A cup of dates
One and a half cup of oats
Three quarters of a cup of walnuts
A quarter cup of dark chocolate chips
A quarter cup of almond butter
A quarter cup of maple syrup
The method:
If you like an extra bit of crisp, toast the oats in the oven at 350 degrees. It’ll take about 15 minutes for them to reach an optimal level of crispiness.
Put the dates in a food processor. Blend them until they’re processed enough to roll into balls. Transfer the dates into a big bowl, and throw in the oats, walnuts, and dark chocolate chips.
Begin mixing and crushing the dates using a spoon. As you crush them, mix them with the other ingredients until everything is fairly well mixed. The dates should be distributed evenly among the other ingredients. Don’t worry if there are little clumps.
In a small pan, heat up the honey and the almond butter on low heat, stirring occasionally. Pour this mixture over the date mixture, and stir right away. Ensure everything’s evenly coated. The chocolate chips should melt a little bit, allowing you to shape the product easier.
Line a baking pan with parchment. Transfer the mixture to the pan, and cover it with plastic wrap. You can use a mold if you like, but it’s easier to shape the mixture by hand. Turn it into a square or a rectangle about half an inch thick.
You can cool them in the refrigerator, or for almost-immediate snacking, throw them in the freezer for fifteen minutes. When they’ve hardened, you can slice them into whatever size you like.
7. Almond Butter Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream
This recipe makes some incredibly rich, flavourful treats. They can be made with peanut butter, but the almond butter adds texture and depteh to the recipe. The cook time is fairly average for cupcakes, and this recipe yields about twelve.
You’ll needOne and three-quarter cups of flour
Three-quarters of a cup of sugar (use brown sugar or sugarcane for a healthier option)
A teaspoon of baking powder
A teaspoon fo baking soda
Half a teaspoon of salt
A cup of milk
Half a cup of canola oil (I prefer to substitute coconut oil for extra flavour)
A teaspoon of vanilla
A tablespoon of vinegar
Half a cup of almond butter
Mocha Buttercream
A quarter cup of butter
A teaspoon of espresso
A quarter cup of cocoa
A pinch of salt
Two cups of powdered sugar
Two tablespoons of milk
The method
Start off by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
Get a cupcake tin and line it with muffin cups. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda & powder, and salt. Once these ingredients are evenly distributed, add the milk, oil, vanilla, vinegar, and almond butter. Continue to mix until the product is smooth.
Fill the baking cups with the batter. They should each fill about three quarters of the way to the top - even if you have extra batter, don’t overfill the muffins or they will rise over the top of their wrappers and become misshapen.
They only take twenty minutes to bake - perhaps less. Do the toothpick test to be sure (stick a toothpick into one of the muffins. If it comes out clean, they’re done.) Let them cool. While they’re cooling, you can make the buttercream.
Put the butter, espresso, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Beat them until they’re smooth and evenly mixed. Once the ingredients are evenly dispersed, you can ad the powdered sugar and milk. Beat again until evenly distributed. You can continue adding powdered sugar if the mixture is too soft for your tastes, or doesn’t look like it would spread easily. If it’s too hard, add more milk.
By the time the buttercream is ready, the cupcakes should be cool enough to spread. Evenly coat the tops of each muffin with buttercream and enjoy!
8. Tandoori-roasted Cauliflower with Almond Butter
This recipe is a perfect testament to the versatility of almond butter. It blends amazingly with the array of indian spices, adding richness to a regional cuisine that’s already known for being rich. The meal serves four to five people and has a quick prep time.
You’ll need
A head of caulifower
Half a cup of almond butter
Two tablespoons of olive oil
Four teaspoons of tandoori seasoning
Salt
Lemon or lime juice
Fresh cilantro
Toasted nuts
The process
Whisk the almond butter with the oil and tandoori seasoning in a big bowl. If the consistency is too thick, you can squeeze some lemon or lime juice in. You can use water or oil as well, depending on your preferences. Whatever you use, just make sure it’s distributed evenly among the mixture.
Put the oven on a low broil setting and let it preheat. While it’s heating up, cut your cauliflower into florets. Mix them until they’re coated in the almond butter mixture. Spread the cauliflower on a baking pan covered in tinfoil.
Once the oven’s heated, roast the cauliflower for about ten minutes. It should start browning lightly by the time it’s done. When it’s cooked, sprinkle salt over it. Try and squeeze lemon or lime juice evenly over the cauliflower, and sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and ground nuts.
These recipes should be enough reason for you to include almonds in your kitchen. Whether using almond butter or fresh/roasted almonds, it’s clear that they can be used for a great number of different recipes from different cultures.
Jen Miller is a former electrical engineer and product specialist with more than 20 years of product design and testing experience. She has designed more than 200 products for Fortune 500 companies, in fields ranging from home appliances to sports gear and outdoor equipment. She founded Jen Reviews to share her knowledge and critical eye for what makes consumers tick, and adopts a strict no-BS approach to help the reader filter through the maze of products and marketing hype out there. She writes regularly and has been featured on Forbes, Fast Company, The Muse, The Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha and MindBodyGreen.