Celebrate Earth Day and Plant-Based Nutrition with California Almonds

Earth Day is an annual event on April 22^nd encouraging support for environmental protection and sustainable practices.  Understanding the role that the global food system and our individual diets play in our planet’s health is crucial, especially as clients look to understand their own carbon footprint. Some experts have suggested that individual carbon footprints can be reduced simply by incorporating more plant-based and plant-centric meals into our diet. Ounce-for-ounce, the amount of protein that you get from plant-sources, such as almonds, is closely on par with animal-based proteins¹.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Earth Day, almonds have you covered! One of the most nutrient-dense foods around, a single handful (28 g or around 23 almonds) delivers 6 grams of plant protein to help keep you going throughout the day. Per 30-gram serving, almonds are the tree nut with the most vitamin E (7.7mg), calcium (80mg) and riboflavin (0.3mg). Whether you’re celebrating the planet by incorporating more plant-based or plant-centric meals and snacks into your diet or are simply taking a walk at the park, almonds are a perfect choice.

As health professionals, keeping up with the latest information on plant-based nutrition and the small, maintainable swaps clients can make is important. 

RECIPE: Almond Graham Crackers

These gluten-free and vegan graham crackers are made from leftover almond pulp, offering a delicious and smart solution that utilizes the whole nut and minimizes waste. The slightly sweet crackers are tender and fragrant with cinnamon.

For more tasty recipes, visit our Recipe Center.  

Upcoming Free Dietitian Webinar

We are pleased to partner with the American Society for Nutrition to host our second webinar, Emerging Science on Almonds: Gut, Brain and Skin Health presented by leading nutrition scientist Dr. Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD. Join us on Tuesday, April 11 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET, to learn about link between diet, gut, brain and skin health and how almond consumption may help support a healthy microbiome. Participation in this webinar is free and Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians can earn 1 CPEU credit.
Register here.

Good for You, Good for Earth

Over thirty percent of almonds grown in California each year are consumed in the United States, while the remaining almonds are shipped to over 90 countries to be enjoyed by people around the globe. Almonds not only pack a nutritional punch for humans, promising research on whole orchard recycling has suggested that these tiny but mighty nuts play a big role in climate-smart agriculture and support the health of our planet.

Whole orchard recycling is a process that farmers can use at the end of an orchard’s 25-year lifespan. It involves grinding whole almond trees into small chips, spreading them evenly over the ground, and then integrating them into the soil. A study from the University of California, Davis found that recycling trees onsite results in a climate-smart practice for California’s almond orchards. Their results found² that whole orchard recycling can sequester 5 tons of carbon per hectare (equal to living car-free for a year³, increase water-use efficiency by 20 percent, and increase crop yields by 19 percent.

 Almonds are grown in shells and protected by hulls. With the Almond Orchard 2025 Goal for zero waste in mind, the almond community is researching new ways to use almond coproducts. Traditionally hulls are used for livestock feed while the shells go to livestock bedding.

Ongoing research has already found some promising optimized uses for these materials. After undergoing a process known as torrefaction, essentially burning them in the absence of oxygen, almond shells can be used as an additive in post-consumer recycled plastics, increasing their strength and heat stability. Research on almond hulls is looking at ways to use them for sugar extraction, mushroom cultivation, and black soldier fly feed. The almond community is on a mission to ensure that almonds are not just good for your health, but also good for the earth! Learn more about the Almond Orchard 2025 goals here.

ALMONDs + RDNs in the News

Diabetes-friendly snacks don’t have to be bland and boring! In a recent article for Eat This, Not That, our friend Toby Amidor shares her favorite ways to incorporate almonds into delicious, healthy snacks. Read the full article here.

Toby Amidor is a registered dietitian, nutrition expert, food safety consultant, instructor, speaker and author in New York City. Through Toby Amidor Nutrition, PC, she provides nutrition and food safety consulting services for individuals, restaurants, and food brands. Keep up with Toby here.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Virtual Orchard Tour: Now Streaming On-Demand

Simple Steps to Shift Toward a More Sustainable Food System