A medium-size carrot has 6 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fiber. This fruit are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the liver. A diet deficient in vitamin A can lead to night blindness and other eye problems. Carrot is an important source of potassium. Potassium is important in helping to maintain a healthy electrolyte balance and fluid level in the cells of body.

What is Carrot Good For?

Carrots are  one of the best source of beta carotene. Beta carotene is one of the strong antioxidant that helps protect body from harmful oxygen-free radical injury.  Beta-carotene has been shown to protect against macular degeneration and senile cataracts. A study found that participants who eat the most beta-carotene had 40% lower risk of macular degeneration than those who consumed little.

A variety of dietary carotenoids have been shown to have anti-cancer properties due to their antioxidant effect in reducing free radicals in the body. Carrot extract was shown to kill leukemia cells and inhibit their progression in a 2011 study. British scientists discovered that increasing beta-carotene consumption from 1.7 to 2.7 mg per day reduced lung cancer risk by more than 40%. Among younger men, diets rich in betacarotene may play a protective role against prostate cancer, according to a research performed by the “Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition”. Men who included carrots as part of their regular diet, eating them at least three times a week, were 18 per cent less likely to develop a prostate tumour, according to results reported in the latest “European Journal of Nutrition”. Recently, scientists have isolated a compound called falcarinol in carrots that may be largely responsible for anti-cancer effects.Study conducted by researchers at “University of Newcastle” on lab animals has found that falcarinol in carrots may help fight against cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells in the tumors.

Studies shown that a diet high in carotenoids are linked  with a lower risk of heart disease. A study performed at the Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research in Italy found that those who ate more carrots had one third the risk of heart attack as compared with those who ate fewer carrots. Several studies have strengthened the “carrot effect” on brain.  According to a research carried at “Harvard University”, individuals who consumed more than 6 carrots a week are less likely to suffer from strokes in comparison to those who ate only one carrot a month or less.

The grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfad) is a large orange-like fruit that belongs to the citrus family. Fruit grows in varieties of pink/red, yellow, white or ruby color. The pink or red varieties are higher in vitamin content.

Grapefruit Benefits

Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice contains vitamin C. Vitamin-C is a potent antioxidant and helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals. The fruit contains very good levels of vitamin-A, and flavonoid antioxidants such as naringenin, and naringin. Vitamin A intake supports your immune system, helps maintain healthy retinas and acts as an antioxidant in body. Grapefruit is a good source of potassium. Potassium, is one of several electrolytes that sustain fluid levels and electrical activity in your body. Insufficient potassium can result in an irregular heartbeat, known as arrhythmia. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure through countering sodium effects.

The vitamin C and the antioxidant properties protect the skin from environmental hazards. It also stimulates the production of skin collagen that brings smoothness and elasticity to the skin. “Grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C, a mild acid, which helps fade spots by reducing excess production of skin pigment,” says Jessica Wu, MD, a Los Angeles–based dermatologist.

Grapefruit is a source of fiber. This fruit contains high level of pectin which acts as a bulk laxative and helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure to toxic substance in the colon. Fiber is necessary to promote regular bowel movements and to prevent constipation.

Grapefruit juice helps increase your urinary pH value, which significantly lowers risk of calcium oxalate stones forming in the kidney. A study reported in the “British Journal of Nutrition” demonstrated that drinking 2-4 cups daily of grapefruit or orange juice reduced the risk of developing kidney stones.

Red varieties of grapefruits are particularly rich in the most strong flavonoid antioxidant, lycopene. This carotenoid is believed to have potent antioxidant effects with some studies showing a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration. The optimum dosage for lycopene has not been established, but the amount found useful in studies usually fell in the range of 4 to 8 mg daily. In a study reported in the March 2005 edition of International Journal of Cancer, scientists found that prostate cancer risk declined with increased consumption of lycopene. Lycopene has shown promise for leukoplakia. In a clinical trials, 58 participants with oral leukoplakia received either 8 mg oral lycopene daily, 4 mg daily, or placebo capsules for 3 months. Subjects were then followed for an additional two months. The results showed  that lycopene in either dose was more effective than placebo for reducing signs and symptoms of leukoplakia, and that 8 mg daily was more effective than 4 mg.

Naringenin, a flavonoid concentrated in grapefruit, helps repair damaged DNA in human prostate cancer cells. A study that was reported in the “Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry” shows that grapefruits help repair damaged DNA in human prostate cancer cells. A group of phytonutrients in grapefruits called limonoids help prevent tumors by promoting an enzyme that causes the liver to expel more toxins from the body. In animal-based studies and lab tests with human cells, limonoids have been shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon. Limonoids help control the activity of genes in cancer cells, activating genes that promote cancer cell death, according to a research reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in 2011. Research indicate that drinking grapefruit juice everyday helps reduce the activities of enzymes that can activate cancer triggering chemicals found in cigarette smoke. In humans, drinking three 6-ounce glasses of grapefruit juice a day was shown to reduce the activity of an enzyme that activates cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke.

Magnesium (Mg) is necessary for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. An adult body contains about 25 grams magnesium. Over 60% of all the magnesium in the body is found in the skeleton, approximately 27% is found in muscle. Less than 1% of total magnesium is in blood serum, and these levels are kept under tight control. Magnesium is absorbed by the small intestine, and is eliminated through renal excretion and perspiration.

Magnesium Deficiency

Some gastrointestinal diseases, diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and taking diuretics can lead to deficiencies. Too much coffee,  or salt, as well as heavy menstrual periods, excessive sweating, and prolonged stress can  lower magnesium levels. Magnesium deficiency also associated to a host of medical conditions, including alcohol abuse, prolonged use of antibiotics, anorexia nervosa, and excessive use of H-2 receptor antagonists such as Zantac or Tagamet. Deficiencies of magnesium can cause nausea and vomiting, irritability, anxiety,  insomnia, numbness, tingling, restless leg syndrome, weakness, poor nail growth, abnormal heart rhythms, coronary spasms, confusion, muscle spasm, and hyperventilation.

Foods Containing Magnesium

Rich sources of magnesium include tofu, legumes, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, spinach, Swiss chard,  beet greens, navy beans, kidney beans, green beans, soy beans, baked potatoes (with skin), halibut, tempeh, wheat bran, whole wheat flour, soybean flour, cashews, Brazil nuts,  almonds, pumpkin and squash seeds, black walnuts, pine nuts, cocoa powder, agar seaweed, poppy seed and cumin seed. Because magnesium is part of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, green leafy vegetables are rich in magnesium.  The magnesium content of refined foods is generally low. Brown rice loses 80% of its magnesium content when refined into white rice. Also, boiling vegetables causes a 50% magnesium content loss. Hard water is a good source of magnesium. A number of research have found reduction mortality from cardiovascular diseases in populations who routinely consume hard water.

Magnesium Benefits and Studies

This mineral plays an important role in many biological processes. Magnesium is especially crucial for the heart, kidneys, and muscles; it also helps regulate other minerals, such as  potassium,  zinc, and copper, as well as vitamin D within the body.

Heart

Magnesium is important to heart health. Because magnesium can improve energy production within the heart and dilate the coronary arteries, adequate magnesium status will protect against angina, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, enlarged heart, hypertension, intermittent claudication mitral valve prolapse, stroke. Intravenous magnesium treatment is  used in Europe to reduce the damage from a heart attack. Magnesium helps protect a normal heart rhythm and is occasionally given intravenously in the hospital to reduce the chance of atrial fibrillation and cardiac arrhythmia. One study found that taking magnesium orotate for a year reduced symptoms and improved survival rates compared to placebo in patients with congestive heart failure. Researchers have theorized that magnesium protects the surviving heart muscle cells from the toxic impacts that result when oxygen-rich blood reaches the cells that were damaged by the heart attack. Injections of magnesium at the time of a heart attack reduced deaths by a fourth in a study of more than 2,300 patients, British scientists reported. The magnesium injections also reduced by 25%  the incidence of heart failure among patients during their stay in a coronary care unit after a heart attack, the scientists reported in The Lancet.

A prospective study tracked 88,375 female nurses to determine whether serum magnesium levels measured early in the study and magnesium intakes from food and supplements assessed every 2 to 4 years were linked with sudden cardiac death over 26 years of follow-up.  Women in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of ingested and plasma magnesium concentrations had a 34% and 77% fewer risk of sudden cardiac death, respectively. A review reported online on May 2013 in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition adds evidence to a preventive effect for magnesium against the risk of cardiovascular disease, including fatal ischemic heart disease. Analysis of the studies that assessed the effects of serum magnesium found a 30% fewer risk of cardiovascular disease in association with each 0.2 micromole per liter increase in the mineral, as well as trends toward lower ischemic heart disease and fatal ischemic heart disease risk. Also, there was a 22% lower risk of ischemic heart disease with each 200 mg per day increase in magnesium intake. The authors of a meta-analysis of 22 studies with 1,173 normotensive and hypertensive adults concluded magnesium supplement for 3–24 weeks dropped systolic blood pressure by 3–4 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 2–3 mmHg. A clinical study of more than 8,500 women found that a higher intake of dietary magnesium may reduce the development of high blood pressure in women.

Stroke

Magnesium may reduce stroke risk. In a meta-analysis of 7 prospective trials with a total of 241,378 people, an additional 100 mg/day magnesium in the diet was associated with an 8% decreased risk of total stroke, particularly ischemic rather than hemorrhagic stroke. For the research, Swedish researchers from the Karolinska Institute reviewed data from seven previously published studies of magnesium intake and stroke. The average magnesium intake of all study people ranged from 242 milligrams a day up to 471 mg daily. The research demonstrated that participants who had higher amounts of magnesium in their diets had a lower risk for stroke. “Dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with risk of stroke, specifically ischemic stroke,” said lead author Susanna Larsson, a professor at the Karolinska Institute.

Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

Preeclampsia-eclampsia is a disease that is unique to pregnancy and may occur anytime after 20 weeks of pregnancy through 6 weeks following birth. Preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy impact 5-8% of all births in the United States. About 5% of women with preeclampsia go on to develop eclampsia, which is a important cause of maternal death. Magnesium, given in the hospital intravenously, is the therapy of choice to prevent or treat seizures linked with eclampsia or to prevent complications from preeclampsia. Magnesium sulfate helps prevent the occurrence of seizures in women with severe preeclampsia and decreases seizures in women with eclampsia. Magnesium is believed to relieve cerebral blood vessel spasm, increasing blood flow to the brain.

Osteoporosis

To prevent osteoporosis, it is important to get enough magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D.Magnesium is involved in bone formation and influences the activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Also affects the concentrations of both parathyroid hormone and the active form of vitamin D, which are major regulators of bone homeostasis. In a two-year open, controlled trial, 22 out of a group of 31 postmenopausal women who took daily magnesium supplementation demonstrated gains in bone density. A study of over 900 elderly men and women found higher dietary magnesium intakes were linked with increased bone mineral density at the hip in both men and women. One short-term study found that 290 mg/day magnesium citrate for 30 days in 20 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis suppressed bone turnover compared with placebo, suggesting that bone loss decreased. A 2006 study by The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that teenage girls who were provided with a daily intake of 300 milligrams of magnesium demonstrated a higher, healthier level of bone mineral content than those who were given a placebo

Diabetes

Some studies have showed that getting insufficient amounts of magnesium increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the development of diabetes complications. Between 25% and 38% of diabetics have been found to have decreased serum levels of magnesium. Swedish researchers reviewed the published studies that looked at magnesium and risk of diabetes and found that for every 100 mg increase in daily intake of magnesium, there was a 15% decrease in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A study in 63 participants with type 2 diabetes and hypomagnesemia found that those taking an oral magnesium chloride solution for 16 weeks had improved measures of insulin sensitivity and glycemic control compared to those taking a placebo. In a meta analysis of 13 cohort studies, 536,318 people, and 24,516 cases of diabetes, increased magnesium intake was found to be significantly inversely associated with type 2 diabetes.

Depression

Magnesium is one of the most important mineral in the human body, connected with brain biochemistry and the fluidity of neuronal membrane. A deficiency of magnesium magnifies  stress and depression. Cerebral spinal fluid  magnesium has been found low in treatment-resistant suicidal depression and in individuals that have attempted suicide. One study in elderly type II diabetic individuals with newly diagnosed depression and low serum magnesium levels has noted that 450mg  Magnesium Chloride daily for 12 weeks duration was equally effectual as 50mg imipramine for reducing depressive symptoms.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

PMS involves many different symptoms lasting a few days to weeks prior to the onset of menses. Reduced magnesium levels have been reported in women affected by PMS. Researches indicate that magnesium may help relieve symptoms linked with PMS, insomnia, bloating, leg swelling, and breast tenderness. A study reported in a 2007 edition of the journal Clinical Drug Investigation, investigated the efficacy of 250 mg of modified-release magnesium tablets for the therapy of premenstrual syndrome. After 3 months of assessment in women ages 18 to 45 suffering from PMS, the study concluded that magnesium is effectual at reducing PMS symptoms. Magnesium and vitamin B6 are particularly beneficial for breast pain, water retention, tension headaches, cravings, anxiety and depression. A 2000 study reported in the Journal of “Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine” found that the combination of vitamin B6 and magnesium can provide better improvements in premenstrual syndrome symptoms than either of the supplements. The results of the study demonstrated that the combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 produced a noticeable synergistic effect that lead to improvements in anxiety-related PMS symptoms.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, memory, sleep, and mood issues. Fibromyalgia and magnesium deficiency have a direct relation according to new research. A clinical trial of 24 participants with fibromyalgia found that a proprietary tablet containing both magnesium and malic acid improved pain and tenderness associated with fibromyalgia when taken for at least two months. The clinical study of the effects of malic acid and magnesium on fibromyalgia sufferers was reported in the Journal of Nutritional Medicine and used 15 fibromyalgia patients aged from 32 to 60 as participants. These participants received a dose of 300 to 600 mg of magnesium and 1,200 to 2,400 mg of malic acid over a period of 4 to 8 weeks. Every single case found important improvements in the levels of pain in tender points.

Migraines

People who suffer from recurrent migraine headaches have lower intracellular magnesium levels than people who do not experience migraines. Two placebo controlled studies have showed decreases in the frequency of migraine headaches after supplementation with 600 mg/day of magnesium. Some researchers suggest combining magnesium with the herb feverfew along with riboflavin (vitamin B2) may be beneficial when you have a headache. A study in 86 children with frequent migraine headaches found that oral magnesium oxide reduced headache frequency over the 16-week intervention. Researchers at Erciyes University in Turkey reported participants taking 600 mg of magnesium citrate daily for 3 months experienced less severe and less frequent migraine attacks compared with those who took a placebo group, according to study published in the June 2008 edition of Magnesium Research. In another study, participants who took magnesium reduce the frequency of attacks by 41 %, compared to 15 % in those who took placebo. In an article published in the March 2009 edition of the journal “Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics”, scientists at The New York Headache Center offered compelling evidence supporting the use of magnesium as a simple, inexpensive, safe and well-tolerated option for the prevention and therapy of migraine headaches. Magnesium and Migraines

ADHD

Magnesium was found to improve attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in some children. Magnesium insufficiency may be more common in children with diagnosed ADHD, with one study of 116 children noting a deficiency rate of 95%. In a study of 75 magnesium-deficient children with ADHD, those who received magnesium supplementation demonstrated an improvement in behavior compared to those who did not receive the supplementation. The scientists reported  a study examining the effects of magnesium preparations in ADHD children. This study involved 50 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children between the ages of 7 and 12 whose serums, red blood cells and hair were deficient in magnesium. In the period of six months those examined regularly took magnesium in a dose of 200 mg/day. The results demonstrated that the children receiving magnesium preparations were no longer deficient in the mineral and demonstrated the most important decrease in hyperactivity and a general improvement in other symptoms of ADHD. A 2004 study done by French scientists reported in “Journal of the American College of Nutrition” investigated the effects of combining magnesium and vitamin B12 supplements for treating ADHD children. The children were given vitamin B12 and magnesium daily for six months. At the end of the study period, normal red blood cells magnesium levels were reported in all 52 children as well as improvements in ADHD symptoms.

Asthma

Scientific findings demonstrates that intravenous magnesium infusion is an effective therapy for severe, acute asthma. Magnesium sulfate  has been considered as an adjunct treatment for severe and life-threatening asthma exacerbation. A population based  study of more than 2,500 children 11 – 19 years of age found that low dietary magnesium intake may be linked with risk of asthma. Magnesium sulfate, causes a noticeable widening of bronchi, a process called bronchodilation, according to an article reported in the Feb 1990 edition of Chest. One study in 38 patients, who did not respond to initial therapy in the emergency room, found improved lung function and decreased likelihood of hospitalization when IV magnesium sulfate was infused compared to a placebo. In a German study of 81 migraine patients reported in the journal Cephalalgia, 42% of the participants taking oral magnesium reduced both the duration and intensity of their migraine attacks. A meta-analysis of 5 randomized placebo-controlled studies, involving 182 children with severe asthma, found that IV infusion of magnesium sulfate was associated with a 71% diminution in the need for hospitalization. A systematic review of seven randomized, controlled studies concluded that IV magnesium sulfate is useful in individuals with severe, acute asthma.

The almond, Prunus amygdalus, is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is  also the name of the edible seed of this tree. Almonds are rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, potassium magnesium and healthy fat.Also, almonds are a important source of protein and fiber. An ounce of almonds, which equates to approximately 25 almonds, contains 12 % of our needed daily protein.  One serving provides almost 15 % of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin E.

Almond Benefits

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), eating 1.5 ounces a day of most nuts, like almonds, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Vitamin E is an efficacious antioxidant and also reduces the risk of heart diseases, while the presence of magnesium in almonds can help prevent heart attacks. Almonds are one of the most important sources of alpha-tocopherol —the form of vitamin E that’s best absorbed by your body. It was found that the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with the vitamin E, therefore reducing the risk of heart disease. Twenty potent antioxidant flavonoids were identified in almond skins in a study. “We have identified a unique combination of flavonoids in almonds,” said Jeffrey Blumberg, scientist and director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University. Further blood tests showed that eating almonds with their skins significantly increases both flavonoids and vitamin E in the body. In a study reported in the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition“, almonds can reduce C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of artery-damaging inflammation.

Potassium, an significant electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart, is another mineral that is necessary for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. A quarter cup of almonds contain 257 mg of potassium, and it beefs up your defense against serious problems like high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. If have heart failure, heart rhythm  or high blood pressure problems, getting enough potassium is particularly important. In a study of people with high blood pressure, taking potassium supplements reduced systolic blood pressure by approximately 8 points. The BMJ research, which specifically looked at the effects of potassium on heart disease and stroke, indicate that a higher intake of potassium could cut the risk of stroke by 24%. In review of 33 studies that included more than 128,000 people, consuming more potassium was linked to lower blood pressure and lower risk of stroke.

Magnesium helps to improve the flow of blood, nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Most cases of heart attacks are associated with a deficiency in this mineral. Increased intakes of magnesium in the diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality by approximately 50%, indicate recent results from Japan. Researchers from the “Karolinska Institutet” reported that, findings pooled from seven prospective studies showed that, for every 100 mg per day increase in magnesium intake, the risk of stroke was reduced by approximately 9%. Higher intakes of magnesium were linked with effects, with a 22% reduction in the risk of ischemic heart disease reported by the Boston-based scientists. Increased circulating levels of magnesium may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, says a meta-analysis from Harvard School of Public Health. The scientists found that every 0.2 mmol/L increment increase in circulating magnesium was related with a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Almonds contain 2 important brain nutrients, L-carnitine and riboflavin (vitamin B2), which have been shown to increase brain activity, resulting in new neural pathways and a decreased occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s mice that were fed an almond rich diet demonstrated much better on memory tests than mice fed the standard diet. Neelima Chauhan at the “University of Illinois” gave mice with an Alzheimer’s-like disease an almond-rich diet. The animals had already developed some of the abnormal brain deposits thought to underlie the disease. After 4 months, the team gave the mice a memory test. Animals eating the almond-rich diet did much better than those fed the usual chow. Chauhan says almonds contain substances that act like cholinesterase inhibitors, medications used to treat Alzheimer’s.

A handful of almonds a day can fight cancer, according to the Daily Express. Research indicate that phytochemicals in almonds and other nuts may help prevent certain types of cancer. In a study of rats exposed to a colon cancer-causing agent and fed almonds, it was found that almonds significantly prevented colon cancer. Dr. Paul Davis,  of the University of California, has examined the possible effects of whole almonds on an array of colon cancer variables. Dr. Davis concluded that the monounsaturated fat in almonds may have a favorable effect in the reduction of colon cancer.

Eating almonds could help prevent diabetes, say researchers. A study published in the journal Metabolism, demonstrated that consuming an ounce of almonds straight before eating a high-starch meal brought a 30% diminution in post-meal glucose levels for patients with type 2 diabetes, compared with a 7% reduction for non-diabetics. Also, after overnight fasting, patients with type 2 diabetes whose meal contained almonds had a lowering of blood sugar levels after their meal. The effect of regular almond consumption on blood glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes was also studied, with the daily consumption of one ounce of almonds over a twelve-week period being linked with a 4% reduction in haemoglobin A1c and the same reduction in body mass index. A study done by scholars from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and reported in the “Journal of the American College of Nutrition” confirms that the nut can control diabetes if consumed regularly. A diet consisting of 20% of calories as almonds over a 16-week period is effective in improving markers of insulin sensitivity and yields clinically significant improvements in LDL-C in adults with pre-diabetes. Scientist Dr Michelle Wien said: ‘It is promising for those with risk factors for chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease that dietary changes may help to improve factors that play a potential role in the disease development.’

New studies have showed that diets featuring almonds and other tree nuts do not cause weight gain and may actually promote weight loss. A study in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders demonstrated that a low calorie almond diet helped people lose more weight faster than those on a low calorie diet high in complex carbohydrates. A study reported in the Oct edition of the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition” found that study participants eating 1.5 ounces of dry-roasted, lightly salted almonds every day experienced reduced hunger and improved dietary vitamin E and monounsaturated fat intake without increasing body weight. The newly reported four-week clinical trial led by scientists at Purdue University, examined the effects of almond snacking on weight and appetite. Despite consuming about 250 additional calories per day from almonds, volunteers did not increase the total number of calories they ate and drank over the course of the day or gain weight over the course of the four-week study. A study reported in Jan 2009 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who chewed almonds 40 times felt fuller afterward than participants who just chewed their almonds 10 times before swallowing.