Almond Joy!

I think it's safe to say over the years we all have read and heard that almonds are a great snack with lots of health benefits. What kind of health benefits you ask? Just a quarter cup of raw almonds has 41% of the daily value of Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps your body digest fat properly and a deficiency in Vitamin E can be dangerous and lead to miscarriages, heart disease, impaired vision and loss of muscle mass. Almonds are also rich in magnesium and dietary fiber. Magnesium regulates blood sugar, supports a healthy immune system, and promotes normal blood pressure. Dietary fiber, another great benefit of almonds, is necessary for proper bowel function and digestion.

The healthiest almonds are the whole ones with skins, of course, which I call plain, boring, and not very tasty. As much as I know almonds are one of the best snacks you can chose, they are not very satisfying to me, until now. Last week I was introduced to a new snack by a coworker, who knew work could be so much fun? Drum roll please...

Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds

Emeralds Cocoa Roast Almonds are lightly sweet with a hint of dark chocolate flavored cocoa powder which gives a light chocolate flavor with a big crunch without the calories and fat of chocolate dipped nuts. They are baked in flavor so there is no mess! And the best part they are only a 150 calories per serving the same number of calories as a handful of regular almonds!

So if you are anything like me, sometimes you just crave the taste of chocolate, despite the fact you really know you shouldn't eat any. These cocoa roasted almonds will satisfy those cravings while providing a healthy snack full of protein and healthy fats.

Almonds are great in salads, on top of ice cream, yogurt, in cereal, with chicken, or just by themselves as a snack. I buy the 38oz. container of Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds at Sam's Club, but I know several grocery stores carry the smaller 11oz. canister container.

I know you want to, but don't all go run out at once to purchase this delicious treat, but when you do, let me know what you think!